4 Surprising Productivity Hacks

When you’ve got a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it, life hacks can help you spend your time more efficiently.

We all know the usual ones — make lists, keep track of your work, prioritize your tasks — but there are a couple of productivity hacks that you wouldn’t expect to work. However, the surprising ones are the ones that stick with you.

If you’re looking for new and surprising ways to improve your day and make better use of your time, these four productivity hacks can help you with that.

1. Fawn Over Baby Animals

Everyone loves looking at pictures of cute animals. As it turns out, looking at these pictures can help increase your attentiveness.

A recent study at Hiroshima University showed that students who looked at pictures of baby animals were more productive with their tasks than students who looked at pictures of adult animals or food. The science behind this says that because caring for young animals requires careful attention to the babies’ needs, looking at pictures of them could help bring this level of attentiveness to the tasks at hand.

So, if you feel your attention slipping, look at some baby animals — and if your boss asks why, explain that science says it helps make you more productive.

2. Stop and Smell the Flowers

We’ve all heard the saying stop and smell the flowers, but it’s actually something that can help lift your spirits and get you motivated.

Exposure to bright colors in the morning can help improve your mood. Additionally, scent is the most powerful trait associated with memory recall. Because certain scents can bring up memories, smelling something associated with positive memories can also improve your mood. If you receive flowers from a friend or significant other, the smell from them can help trigger positive moods in the future.

Take a walk through a garden or walk by your local florist before getting to work so you can start out your day feeling good.

3. Warm up in Your Work Space

There’s a good chance that your office is never at a good temperature — either the air conditioner is pumping in the summer or the heat is blasting in the winter. Office temperatures play a large role in the employees’ productivity.

Studies have shown that warmer office spaces lead to more productivity. Cold temperatures can make people feel isolated, whereas warmer weather can lead to friendlier attitudes.

Additionally, these studies show that fewer mistakes were made when the office space was increased — the best temperature for productivity was 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Ditch the sweater and turn up the heat in your office to be comfortable and productive.

4. Laugh It Off

Having a healthy sense of humor can get you far in the working world. Laughter is certainly the best medicine for most issues and productivity is no different.

Not only does laughing improve your own mood, due to its contagious natures it also improves your coworkers’ moods, as well. Besides lowering stress, many employers believe that having a good sense of humor is essential if you want to advance in your career.

So remember to take some time each day to find something to laugh about — a joke from a coworker, a silly story or even something stupid you did the other day.

If you want to increase your productivity to make the most of your day, you don’t have to go through the more predictable methods to achieve your goals. All of these tips can be easily integrated into your day. Use these simple but effective productivity hacks to improve your life.