Your workspace is more than just a physical location – a desk at home, a co-working space, or an office building – it’s the epicentre of your productivity, creativity, and efficiency. Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to design and organize this space in order to ensure you’re getting the most out of your workday.
No matter what type of work you’re doing, it’s important to be cognisant and aware of potential pitfalls when it comes to setting up your workspace, so you can avoid them and optimize your time.
Inadequate Time Management
Not managing your time and resources properly can result in a serious dip in your productivity – and you can use software to help you get this right. When it comes to software and automation, what is office management?
Managing your space, planning, resources, communication, staff, and IT coordination, can all be optimized through the use of automation software and other types of systems to assist you. Relying on data and investing in the right tools will help you to free up time that would otherwise be wasted on these types of organizational tasks, so you can focus on what really matters.
Clutter and Disorganization
You’ve probably been told before that a cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind, and this is especially important in a work context. A messy space can cause chaos in your structure, and getting organized is one of the best things you can do for your productivity.
Set up physical and digital organizational structures that help you keep things in place and in check. Make sure you know where to find the tools, equipment, files, and folders you need with ease, and take time each day to ensure that your desk and the surrounding area as clean and tidy. This will help you to feel calm, focused, and on the ball.
Multitasking
When you have a million things to do, you might feel include to try and do them all at once, but there are better ways of handling a busy day. Multitasking, as you might have realized, isn’t a very effective way of working.
When you’re trying to focus on two or more things at once, you’re usually only giving it half of the attention it really needs, and probably taking twice as long to get each task done. Instead, focus on one thing at a time, and try to batch similar tasks together into one solid work-stint. This way, your brain won’t be trying to switch between different modes and slow you down.
Neglecting Breaks and Rest
You might think that pushing through and working past your capacity is going to get you to where you need to be, but keep in mind that rest is productive too! An overworked brain becomes less and less efficient, and your productivity will start to falter the longer you go without taking a break.
Most people will need some kind of vacation or time off after a few months of steady work. Similarly, on a day-to-day basis, working relentlessly for eight hours just isn’t sustainable, and you’ll need to take short breaks in between. Even tactics like using a quick 15-minute timer to step away from your computer can help.