How to Boost Productivity in a Busy Office
Busy offices are hard to focus in, with the hustle and bustle underfoot and endless meetings. If you don’t have the luxury of secluding yourself to do some deep work, or working from a private office, here are a few tips you can follow to boost productivity.
Limit Meetings
Limit the amount of meetings you have. Let your colleagues know that you only have meetings in the morning, or simply say no to a meeting. Before scheduling a meeting, always ask yourself if the same communication could be accomplished with an email instead.
Listen to Ambient Noise
To get away from the noise and avoiding being pulled into conversations around you, plug in some headphones and play ambient noise. This could be as simple as the sounds of a rainforest, but you can also look up instrumental music. Anything that you can play in the background, which won’t distract you but will still block out the distractions around you.
Add a Plant
Plants have been shown to boost productivity in busy offices. Some arguments for this include the fresh air that plants provide, and others say it’s because of the pleasant splash of green you can look at while you work.
Use a Project Management Tool
PM tools are great for easy communication. They create online meeting places and record discussions that employees can refer to at any point. By keeping all of your files, discussions, and checklists in one place, there’s one easy place to go when you need to find information. Project management tools also make responsibilities clear, because you can assign due dates and projects, so it’s clear who is in charge of what, and when it needs to be done by.
What are your tips to boost productivity? Share them in the comments below!