In Focus: How to Set up Your Desk to Increase Productivity at Work

Sunday, 25 January 2015

How to Set up Your Desk to Increase Productivity at Work

Set up desk

No matter how you want to approach the math, adults spend nearly 40% of their day at work according to a recent American Time Use Survey. While many of you have "hands on" jobs requiring physical labor, the majority spend our day plopped, posted, and perched at a desk staring at numbers or figures on a computer screen. So why is it that, even given the knowledge of our time commitment, that many people still overlook the significance of your desk?

Here's some essential tips, tricks, and tidbits on how to effectively utilize your desk space to maximize productivity, output, and, most importantly, your happiness while at work.

Surround yourself with things that make you happy

Some argue that a clean desk results in an unobstructed mind. While that may be true for some, a lot of people find liberation in the freedom to decorate their own desks according to their tastes. Decorating your desk with personal items is a great reminder that, although you more or less have to spend 8 hours a day here, you still have a life away from your desk.Good reminders of this are pictures of loved ones, art you enjoy, an inspirational slogan or saying on a sticky note, a fake plant, and other trinkets and small objects that will arouse creativity.

But be aware: there's always a fine line with decor, and this is no different.

Enjoy window peeping

If possible, request a desk near the window. While some may find this distracting, putting yourself in a position to observe and consume natural light has many health benefits. It's nice to be able to rest your eyes from growing droopy and tired staring at a computer screen all day. Looking out the window helps you avoid the eye strain caused from a lack of blinking when you're zoning out on your work.

Listen to some groovy tracks

A workplace can be a hectic and noisy mess, especially if you only have a desk opposed to your own office. Even though sometimes people feel rude for doing this, putting on headphones to drown out the chaos can increase productivity and creativity by narrowing your focus of attention. Plus, even if you feel you aren't artistic, music is a subtle but powerful way to express yourself artistically. It can evoke your deepest desires, inviting you to imagine yourself completing the task at hand, succeeding, and being rewarded appropriately for it. For these reasons, music availability at your desk is a must.

Stand up

With all the research and discovery on the subject, we know that sitting all day will kill you faster. Thankfully, many companies are now rewarding employees who are conscious about their health decisions. Those inquiring about extracurricular options like gym memberships, organizing a company 5k fun run, or putting together a company softball rec team are usually given a smile and the "go ahead."

Standing desks are now thrown into this request pool. Though they are fairly expensive for the company, having the option to stand as easily as you have one to sit will add years to your life.

Give yourself a break

This one may seem like the most obvious of the bunch, and the least about actual desk organization, but it's probably the most essential. One of the best ways to increase productivity is to leave your desk frequently during the day. Don't go printing this article out and waiving it in your bosses face as a valid excuse to take 168 photocopies of your rear end, but this is important.

I find that drinking an obscene amount of water is not only healthy, but also encourages me to stand up and walk around not only to refill my canteen, but also to relieve my small child sized bladder. Again, this is no valid reason to slack off at work intentionally, but getting away and walking around for 5 minutes can be the mental refresher to get you over any mental slump.

If you notice that some of these are useless, or not as impactful on your workspace, experiment a bit. Even if your current setup is working for you brilliantly, be aware of the value in rearranging every so often.