We don’t always get to choose where we do what productivity experts call “knowledge work.” This kind of work is about thinking, for example generating creative ideas to solve problems or analyzing data. We often have to do that work in a cubicle in a crowded office or at the dining room table in a busy household with lots of distractions. Here are a few things that can be done to make your time at your desk—whatever that looks like—more productive.
Cut the noise: Use earbuds, headphones or ear plugs to shut out the outside world while you work. You can decide the length of time you want to use this tool and make clear to family or colleagues that for x amount of time you won’t be able to hear them and do not want to be interrupted unless it is an emergency. You can make verbal agreements and/or have a printed sign on your door or cubicle entry that outlines your request for uninterrupted quiet time. If you honor the time yourself and the tool yields results, people will respect your request.
My work space, my cockpit: Treat your workspace like a cockpit in order to prevent the constant getting up and down to gather supplies. Even a hot pot, a cold pack or mini fridge under your desk can be useful to have so that you are not constantly tempted to get up for water or caffeinated drinks. Supplies like pens, scissors, tape, paper clips, a stapler and staples, paper, a labeler and file folders should be within reach. If you are at the dining room table, these supplies could be organized on a rolling cart that gets put away at the end of the work time. If you share a desk at an office, you could have your own supplies in a caddy or canvas tool bag. The less you are tempted to leave your desk to fetch something, the more focus on your task you will be able to have.
Large and in charge: Make sure you have charging cords for any devices you are using handy. It’s nice to have long enough cords that you can still use your device while it is charging if necessary. It’s always a good idea to have duplicate charging cords anywhere you might be working rather than try to remember to bring cords with you or move them around.
Set a timer: It is important, especially if you work from home, to take regular breaks to stand and stretch. Getting the blood moving will increase energy and enable you to get back to the task with a fresh perspective. Set a timer to let yourself know to break for meals or to check voicemail and e-mail. A timer will take a load off your mind—don’t use your brain power to continually check the clock, just delegate that to a reliable timer and get down to work.
Light it up: No matter where you work—with or without natural light—you will need good task lighting. If you are at the dining room table, invest in a light that is light and portable and can easily be tucked out of the way at the end of the work session. I worked in a variety of offices during my career in the wine industry and often brought my own powerful reading light with me if the light at my desk was inadequate.
Color and Comfort: If possible, surround yourself with colors, textures and objects that are pleasant but not too distracting. I am not a fan of any clutter on a desk surface—your phone can take the place of a clock, a calendar, even a note pad and it has enough family pictures on it to keep you company if you should start feeling blue or need motivation. Otherwise, keep it clean and simple, with something inspiring on the wall and a very comfortable and ergonomically correct (if possible) chair. If you have to work in a drab cubicle, bring in a plant for some life force and a textile—maybe from a favorite vacation–to cover the institutional putty-beige of a chair or to drape over an ugly and uninspiring file cabinet.