A workplace can be one of the most stressful environments in your life. You may be constantly trying to improve your productivity without applying changes that can help you to do that.
In turn, this creates pressure and affects your efficiency negatively, sometimes even making you procrastinate and pile up tasks.
The only way to avoid this and make your workplace more efficient is to create ideal conditions to do your job. So, here are some clever ways to inspire yourself to be more productive with the minimum of stress.
12 Clever Ways to Make Your Workplace More Efficient
1. Decluttering for a more efficient workplace
It’s a fact that clutter negatively affects productivity, even when it’s only on your desk. The disorder leads to stress and that can greatly impair your mood and ability to concentrate on your work.
To remove this distraction, declutter your workspace and desk. Get rid of the things that you don’t need, use shelves to store items, and drawers for smaller items usually cluttering your desk.
Freeing your space from things you don’t need and bringing order to your office can help you reach your full potential.
2. Paint it right
Some colors may not be good for productivity and if you want to make your workplace more efficient, you will have to repaint it. Red can give you energy, blue can bring calm, yellow is for positivity, and green brings balance into your office.
However, a combination of these colors may have the best effect in the end, like blue-green. Also, pay attention to the color of your furniture, rug, and artwork so that all fit into one flow without disrupting the positive feel of the space.
3. Think before buying office furniture
Furniture at work can have a huge say on your productivity. Sedentary position can cause a lot of health issues, like back and neck pain that can affect your performance and attention.
A standing desk is a great option for people who sit a lot, as well as an ergonomic chair with lumbar support. A footrest under the desk will prevent dangling feet and prevent strain on the ligaments and muscles.
Quality furniture can be both aesthetically attractive and sensible allowing you to give the best result on your job.
4. Surround yourself with nature
Spending too much time inside has detached humans from nature and opened doors for stress. Just a couple of potted plants in your workplace can do a lot for your creativity and focus.
Scientists discovered that including nature in office décor can increase productivity by 15%. There’s a plant for any type of office, regardless if it’s well or poorly lit, big or small.
If you have a balcony, rooftop, or hallway at work, see if you can use this space to build a garden everyone can enjoy during breaks. Just looking at nature can boost your mood and help the brain to relax, so you can deal with your workload more efficiently.
5. Let in natural light
Direct sunlight can be a nuisance and prevent you from doing your job, but having natural light in the office can make a big difference in employee efficiency. Because natural light is responsible for the sleep-wake schedule known as circadian rhythm, it can improve your productivity and satisfaction.
If you let the daylight in, you can improve your sleep, engage more, and feel inspired. Sometimes, having natural light is not possible or very limited.
In that case, consider installing artificial lighting that mimics sunlight, like the LED-based system. Having a mirror across from a small mirror can reflect the light to the rest of the room and make it brighter.
6. Stretch and take a walk
If you spend a lot of time in one position, it can take a toll on your posture and lead to chronic pain. Stretching and walking is the best way to wake up your muscles and improve circulation during an 8-hour shift.
Going for a walk to the kitchen or just pacing in the hallway can energize you and prevent fatigue. Some simple stretching, even while you are sitting at your desk, can prevent the onset of work-related musculoskeletal disorders — a painful condition that affects muscles, nerves, and tendons.
7. Eat and drink healthily
What you eat and drink during working hours can affect the way you do your job. Overeating can lead to sleepiness and tiredness so choose food that will help you stay awake.
Regardless of that, some food can still make you sleepy, like carbs and high proteins, but there are some ways to prevent drowsiness. The most important one is to stay hydrated by drinking at least eight glasses of water.
Additionally, reduce portion sizes and include more fibers and healthy fats in your diet. A balanced diet with fatty fish, whole grains, nuts, and vegetables can dictate how you will feel during the day.
8. Create a relaxation zone
Self-care is very important even in the workplace so do something for yourself that can help you relax.
If there’s a recreation area at your company, have your breaks there and play video games or use reading nooks to catch up on your reading.
A versatile massage chair is a great way to eliminate some of the tension and clear your head. A Zen garden kit for your desk is also an amazing way to relieve stress and calm your mind before a big meeting or heavy workload.
9. Invest in quality equipment
After a while, your equipment will become too old or outdated, having you end up with a backlog of work and frustration.
Instead of constantly waiting on repairs so you can continue with work, get rid of the faulty equipment, and invest in new. While this may be an expense, in the beginning, it’s something you will quickly be able to pay off since it will increase productivity and give more accomplished tasks.
This is especially important if you work in arts and crafts or any other field that requires the manufacture of products. The better the equipment, the more quality products can hit the market, bringing you more profit.
10. Upgrade your software
If you depend on your computer then you know how infuriating it can be when software prevents you from completing your tasks.
By upgrading software regularly, you can eliminate all the bugs and shorten the time to finish tasks. Check if there is similar software on the market from time to time that has more features and is more user-friendly.
Using the same program is comfortable since you know all the ropes, but, if there is software that can improve your efficiency, you should install it.
11. Take frequent breaks
It’s easy to forget to take breaks during work, or even postpone them just to complete more tasks.
However, for your brain to process information, it needs a break. Overworking yourself can negatively affect your performance, mental wellbeing, and lead to burnout.
Going on frequent breaks will help you recharge your batteries and de-stress allowing you to approach your workload with a fresh and more creative mind.
12. Eliminate the distractions
Noise is one of the main distractions at work and keeping it to a minimum may allow you to be more productive. Unfortunately, the office is full of sounds, like typing on the keyboard, chatter, and conversations over the phone.
If there is no other way to eliminate these irritating sounds, use noise-canceling headphones. At the same time, wearing them will let your coworkers know that you are busy and don’t have time for anything else.
Lastly
Some would say that there aren’t perfect work conditions, but you can still do a lot to make your workplace more efficient.
Using only one thing from this list can boost your performance and improve your well-being. However, incorporating most of them will keep you healthy, productive, and in a better mood.
You May Like To Read:
- 15 Essential Must-Have Workplace Policies
- 8 Top Tips To Manage Workplace Adversaries
- 7 Tips To Create A Happy Workplace & Motivate Your Employees
Author: Emma Williams
