Office Efficiency Ideas: 15 Tips for the Modern Workforce

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When you walk into work every day, you generally know that you have work to accomplish by the time you leave. The specific tasks may change, but you know you can’t waste time.

Still, it can be difficult to be as efficient as you’d like to, especially as the work piles on. Being stressed might make you think you have to work twice as hard, but you’ll actually accomplish less.

Instead, try these modern office efficiency ideas the next time you want to do more during your work days. Trying something new could completely change your routine for the better.

1. Personalize Your Desk

If you don’t feel at home at work, it could be subconsciously holding you back. When you’re comfortable, you’re automatically more confident and at ease with whatever you’re doing.

Personalize your desk with photos and decor until it feels like your own space. Afterward, you’ll feel more in control of whatever lands on your desk.

2. Keep It Clean

Once you’ve made yourself at home at your desk, you have to keep it clean. A clean desk makes you more productive. Being around a bunch of mess will only cast a cloud of negativity, which will encourage slower work.

3. Take a Stretch Break

Working hard during every minute of your day only makes you feel burnt out, so include a few stretch breaks. You’ll get your blood flowing, waking up your brain so you’re ready to get back to work.

4. Work Efficiently From Home

Many offices now let their employees work from home as often as they work in the office, but that can also prove to be a challenge.

When you work from home, be more efficient by limiting your phone time. You may feel more free to do what you like, but you still have to get your work done by the end of the day.

5. Schedule Everything Out

Throwing together a to-do list every morning may work sometimes, but it’s also a good idea to know what you’re doing in the future.

Set long term goals for yourself by scheduling out your next week, month or year. You’ll get a better idea about what your short term goals are building up to, which will encourage you to be more productive.

6. Limit Your Work Time

Spending all day on one project may get work done on that one thing, but you’ll lose time you could have worked on smaller, equally important projects.

Try limiting your work time by assigning fifteen to thirty minutes to each project. Your brain will appreciate having new things to think about, so you’ll be refreshed when you swing back around and start the rotation all over again.

7. Fuel Yourself Properly

When was the last time you took a hard look at your diet? Not fueling yourself properly with the right foods will make you feel sluggish and tired.

Productivity isn’t just about producing work. It’s about making good quality work, which you can’t do if you aren’t functioning at your best. Read about how to eat better in order to make yourself feel and function at your best.

8. Limit Caffeine Intake

You may need caffeine to start your day, but ongoing caffeine crashes could be what’s limiting your productivity. Switch to decaf after lunch for a day to compare how you feel and what you get done with the day before.

9. Go for a Walk

Something that doesn’t typically make the list of office efficiency ideas is the idea of going for a walk, but it should! Taking a break and letting your brain breathe helps you reset and come back with a full tank of energy that will help you get work done.

10. Respect Your Work Boundaries

Work boundaries are the lines you won’t cross in order to meet your deadlines. They could be rescheduling lunch with a friend to focus on a project or putting your online status to Do Not Disturb for a bit.

Whatever your boundaries are, don’t feel bad about having them. Respecting them is good for your productivity and reinforces your time management skills.

11. Toss Out Uncomfortable Clothes

No one can focus if they’re uncomfortable, so your work clothes definitely shouldn’t make you dread getting dressed in the morning. Toss out any work clothes that are too restrictive, itchy or just don’t fit right. Replacing them even with a temporary cheap alternative will make a world of difference once you can sit comfortably at your desk.

12. Wear Some Headphones

Distractions come from the mind and the environment around you. You can sharpen your focus all day long, but if there are noises around you that tear your mind away from your work, it’ll be much more difficult to meet deadlines.

Look into buying noise-canceling headphones. Even if you don’t listen to anything while you wear them, they’ll instantly create a space that’s all about you and what you need to do.

13. Set Time to Handle Emails

It’s difficult to be efficient when your inbox is a mess, but it’s also hard to organize your inbox if your day is filled with other things you need to do.

At the beginning or end of each day, set aside time to handle your emails. It’ll save you more time later because you’ll know exactly where to find everything.

14. Use Helpful Online Tools

What you may need is a handy online tool that will streamline things like tiny tasks or team communication. Read about the best tools available to see if any could work for you and help you become more efficient.

15. Find the Fun in Life

Dreading going to work will zap all your energy and drive, leaving you without the ability to be productive. Find the fun in life to get your energy back and be able to look forward to accomplishing more at work. You’ll develop yourself through hobbies and activities you enjoy, which will turn into more confidence and efficiency during your work days.

Try New Tips Out

You’ve already taken the very important first step to becoming more efficient. Reading about office efficiency ideas should inspire you to try new tips out. You’ll find what works and what doesn’t, becoming a stronger person and employee because of it.