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If you work in an office, you probably have the type of job that requires a lot of focus and independent work. The problem? Productivity killers are everywhere, and overcoming them is usually easier said than done. Take a look at these top productivity killers and what you can do to fight them.

 

Multitasking

Despite giving the illusion of double productivity, multitasking minimizes the amount of work an individual can get done by divvying up the person’s focus between multiple projects at once. The solution? Focus on one project at a time. Dedicating your full attention to completing one project before moving on to the next will allow you to produce better work both in quality and quantity.

 

Checking Email throughout the Day

If you’re checking your email every few minutes, you’re wasting valuable time. Do yourself a favor and schedule a few times a day to read emails. We recommend once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once before you leave for the day. You may also want to turn off email notification pop-ups so that you aren’t being constantly interrupted by distracting notifications all day.

 

Mobile Devices

Keeping your cell phone next to you while you work is an invitation for constant distraction. Between social media, personal email and a myriad of distracting websites, there is way too much potential for you to get sidetracked by constantly checking your phone. To combat the urge to look at your personal cell phone, keep it in a drawer or wardrobe cabinet while you’re working and only check it at certain times during the day, much like your work email.

 

Perfectionism

Confucius once said, “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without”. That is of course to say that something that is “perfect” is not always better. Rather than wasting extra time trying to make your work completely flawless, focus on making it good and then move on to the next project. That is not to say you shouldn’t put a lot of thought and care into everything you do, but just don’t go overboard lest it become a time waster.

 

Sitting All Day

Sitting in an office chair for forty hours a week is detrimental to your health, and it won’t take long for you to start feeling it in your neck and back. Where there’s physical pain, there’s mental fatigue, and you’ll start to notice your productivity decrease if you’re sitting in the same slouched position all day long. To combat the negative side effects of sitting all day, every day, equip your workspace with a standing height desk. Having the ability to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day will keep you physically sound and mentally alert, allowing you to produce better work.

 

Going to Too Many Meetings

If you’re in back-to-back meetings all day, every day, how are you supposed to have time to get any work done? Learn to simply say ‘no’. Cut down on the number of meetings you’re going to by only attending those that are totally essential.

 

Noise Pollution

Noise distractions are one of the most common productivity killers, especially in an open concept workspace. Cut out the distractions around you by utilizing room dividers and sound-absorbing wall tiles. If you don’t have access to physical barriers such as these, try using headphones to drown out the sounds around you.

 

Have your own tips for being more productive at the office? Share them in the comments below!

Employee Wellness

More From NBF

Meeting Culture: What It Is and How to Improve It

Meeting Culture: What It Is and How to Improve It

According to a survey released by Clarizen and Harris Poll, the average American office employee spends more than 9 hours each week prepping for or attending meetings. It’s a huge portion of workers' time; unfortunately, it might not be productively spent. 

While everyone can agree that sometimes meetings aren’t their favorite pastime, they serve a purpose. They provide an environment where employees can gather, share ideas, and collaborate on projects, campaigns, and strategy. 

Many experts feel employee dissatisfaction isn’t about the meetings but the meeting culture. Is your meeting culture lacking? Here are some signs that it might not be as great as you want it to be:

  • Meeting attendees are disengaged. This may take the form of blatant cell phone use.

  • Meeting attendees are uncomfortable. Maybe they are rubbing their neck or constantly adjusting their position, trying to get comfortable in their chair.

  • Workers complain about how long meetings are. If your meetings last more than an hour, it may be time to reevaluate if that time is necessary.

  • Your meetings end without clear action points for each member to perform independently or in smaller teams.

If you think you need to improve your meeting culture, consider meeting time frames and meeting attendants. Ensure the time scheduled is appropriate and every participant is necessary. If meetings are too long and individuals see no benefit to attending, they will likely disengage quickly. An unfocused employee is distracting to others and decreases productivity if the unneeded employee is stuck in a meeting instead of working.

Outfitting any meeting or conference room with comfortable seating is essential, especially if you consistently hold longer meetings. Uncomfortable employees are less likely to be actively engaged in the conversation.

 

Another necessary component of positive meeting culture is to ensure that each meeting is useful for all. Creating informed action items for each attendee from the discussion can help make meetings more valuable for employees and the company.

 

Email Etiquette: Best Practices for the Workplace

Email Etiquette: Best Practices for the Workplace

As email use rises in the workplace, so does the opportunity for these emails to result in clashes between workers with different communication styles. This can cause unnecessary tension between colleagues and between managers and employees. So how do we fix the tension and other issues that email miscommunication can create? Here are some email best practices that can help to keep everyone on the same page.

Be Direct 

Being straightforward can help save time and keep others from misinterpreting your intentions. Avoiding sarcasm, as the chances your tone will be conveyed how you intended are slim. Say what you mean to lessen the chance of confusion.

Avoid Being Short 

While being direct is certainly a good practice, overly short emails can convey displeasure or irritation to the reader—even if the sender didn’t mean for such a translation. The best course of action is always to include a greeting and write complete sentences. While replying “Great.” is shorter and less time-consuming than “Hello, Marie, I think that sounds great,” the second option clarifies the tone and meaning of the email.

Avoid Informal Abbreviations

Using ‘u’ instead of ‘you,’ ‘r’ instead of ‘are,’ or ‘lol’ to show your amusement has become common in part due to the desire to type or text a message as quickly as possible. Despite time-saving intentions, an email correspondence full of such abbreviations may strike readers as unprofessional or even rude. It’s best to leave casual abbreviations and acronyms out of workplace communication.

Avoid Colored and Wacky Fonts

While it may be tempting to personalize your email settings, bright colors or swirly fonts can be very distracting for readers and may make your message difficult to read. It can be a frustrating experience for the receiver if they must read the message repeatedly or squint at the screen. Instead, use easy-to-read fonts and dark colors such as a traditional 12pt. Arial or Times New Roman font in black.

Have Long Discussions Face-to-Face When Possible 

It still holds that email is a great way to communicate for short, quick messages. Talking in person is a better option for longer discussions or topics more up for debate. While it may be easier for emotions to escalate while behind a computer screen, being face-to-face during these discussions makes it easier to express or understand an opposing point of view and reach a compromise.

 

The Standing Conference Room

Adding a standing desk to your workspace can do wonders for your long-term health, but it doesn’t have to stop there! You can also extend the benefits throughout your entire office space by adding standing meeting tables to conference rooms, boardrooms, training rooms, and other collaborative areas. 

Worried you’ll force people to stand even when they would prefer to sit? These adjustable tables and standing-height tables offer much more flexibility and versatility than the standard height options. They can be lowered or raised, depending on the needs and wants of the group. When paired with adjustable stools or chairs, users can easily adjust both furniture items to ensure personalized support and comfort.

These Trendway tables feature a manual lift in the form of a hand crank. This allows you to easily lower and raise the work surface, depending on the needs of your meeting. These tables offer great value and great flexibility for any meeting space.

Simply lift this Meridian Electric Height-Adjustable Table with a touch of a button! You can easily and seamlessly incorporate all forms of technology with the built-in wire management system. Best of all, the thermally-fused laminate promises long-lasting beauty as it keeps stains and scratches at bay.

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Nicole Groshek

Nicole Groshek is the social media and content coordinator for National Business Furniture. She helps employees discover the true joy in loving what they do, from working in an inspiring office to having a little fun on the job.