February 9, 2011
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Do you have office space that isn’t all that effective? Don’t feel bad. It happens to us all, from time to time. The good news is that there are things you can do right now to make a difference.
Here are 13 ways that you can make your office space more efficient:
1. Kill the air. Many offices are kept so cold that the employees are wasting time talking about how cold they are and trying to keep warm. If you do a better job of keeping the office temperature at a comfortable level, your employees will be more productive and you will save money on your bill.
2. Nix meeting rooms. A lot of wasted office time takes place in meeting rooms. Get rid of those and hold standing-room-only meetings by the water cooler or coffee pot. You will be surprised how much more gets done!
3. Let there be light. Try to make sure that natural light comes into the office. Natural light, especially on a sunny day, can energize your employees and help them be more productive.
4. Ergonomics count. Because you spend so much time each week in the office, it is important that you be comfortable. Invest in ergonomic products that will make you more comfortable, and that will increase efficiency.
5. Go with the flow. Arrange your office so that it is in line with the traffic flow. A couple of minutes saved here and there throughout the day really add up, over the month, and year.
6. Keep kids out. Millions of people work from home offices today, and more of them get started every day! If you work at home, make your home office ‘off limits’ to the kids. The last thing you need is to be tripping over toys or having important work items misplaced or drawn on.
7. Think minimalism. The new thing, these days, is to be a minimalist, which entails getting rid of things you don’t need, and keeping only the bare minimum. This will work in the office environment as well as in other areas of life.
Want more tips on improving your office? Check these out:
8. Headphone help. Keep an iPod or headset in your desk. Many people find that putting it on when there are distractions is a good way to focus and get more work done.
9. Stand up. Researchers have found that you are more likely to get work done if you are standing up. If this is a possibility for you, give it a try and see what it does for your productivity.
10. Hire an organizer. We all know that organization in the office is important, but most don’t want to take the time to get it done. Invest money in hiring a professional organizer to get it all done for you; then you can take it from there. With the increase in efficiency, it will pay for itself in no time.
11. Get a sign. Every time someone walks into your office to ask a question, it slows down your productivity. If you are busy working on something, hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door until you are finished.
12. Pace yourself. Forget trying to turn everything on its head in one week in the hope of making your office the most efficient one around. Instead, pace yourself and choose one thing to implement at a time. Master that, then move on to the next.
13. Admit differences. If you have employees, it is important to keep in mind that an efficient office is subjective. While you think standing up at a high-bar table is efficient, someone else may feel that it’s annoying and find that it slows them down. Recognize and respect the differences, so long as you are pleased with output.
These are just some of the ways that you can get your office working more efficiently for you. There are many more. Try a few and see what works. You may be surprised by how much more you get done, without an increase in effort.
Mike Michalowicz is the Author of the business cult-classic, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur and is a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. Michalowicz has built three multi-million dollar companies, is a frequent expert guest on MSNBC, CNBC, ABC and other television networks, and is a nationally renowned speaker. His website is ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com and his book is available at Amazon.com and all major book stores.
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