Unconventional Ways To Increase Productivity In Your Workplace

If you feel you have tried everything to increase your personal, or your team's productivity in your workplace, but you only see minor effects in the actual results, you might have to adopt an unconventional approach that is going to directly affect productivity in your workplace without you or your colleagues even noticing.

Our brains sometimes work better when our environment and conditions are better than when we have continuous stimulation that is directly intended to produce a change. For example, you might have more inspiration to finish a task if you are in a more relaxed and slightly different environment than at your office's desk. And sometimes, few changes are needed in order to sparkle your workflow and make all daily tasks much easier and more entertaining.

We are going to suggest all unconventional ways proven to increase productivity that are likely going to produce great changes in your workplace. Let's start!

1. Encourage Power Naps

While this is a common thing in some Asian countries, it is still very rare that a serious company in the U.S. or Europe encourages napping during work. But, if you're a small business owner you should definitely consider introducing power naps for all your employers.

Power naps of 20 minutes are found to be very efficient in boosting our productivity and readjusting our energy levels. Problem-solving skills are enhanced after a nap, which will inevitably affect your or your co-workers' ability to focus and complete all your daily tasks with more ease. Make sure you and your colleagues learn different techniques to fall asleep and power naps will quickly benefit your entire team.

2. Invite Furry Friends

A study found that having a pet-friendly office has plenty of business-related benefits. For instance, having dogs at your workplace will reduce the amount of stress which will furtherly create more space for creativity and handling tasks with a more open mind.

Studies have also shown that offices that acknowledged their employees' needs to spend time with their pets at home in certain situations (getting a puppy, or after a neutering/spaying operation) increased the loyalty and overall satisfaction at work for all employees. This new trend of offering a pet-related, paid leave is called Pawternity and it is becoming more and more popular in Europe.

3. Play Some Music

When we listen to music, we feel better. A better mood influences the way our brains are organizing information and thoughts which influences directly our creativity. However, turning on the radio might not be the best way to increase productivity in your office.

That's because "music with recognizable lyrics" take too much of our attention. Instead, play some relaxing/positive music that doesn't have a lot of "recognizable lyrics" that everybody would like to sing along to. Addition of positive tones and melodies will create a more pleasant atmosphere that will surely get your colleagues to work more efficiently.

4. Adjust The Office Temperature

If it's too hot or too cold in your office, your and your coworkers' productivity is certainly decreased. Studies have shown that increasing office temperature from 68 degrees to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, reduced accidental mistakes by 44% and increased overall keying output by 150%.

On the other hand, having a too high temperature in your office might make your workplace a space where it's hard to concentrate. Combined with additional sweating, the increased workplace temperature could make you irritable and less tolerant. That really doesn't sound like a coworker you would be happy to work with, right? Set the temperature right and everyone will be happier.

5. Supply Brain-Enhancing Snacks

We all snack at work, right? Well, if you want to benefit your workplace's productivity without even saying it, make sure you always have healthy snacks that help our brain's multiple functions. For instance, coffee and green tea help in increasing focus, while delicious berries improve our memory.

Walnuts and omega-3 rich that aid our recall skills and reasoning. Thanks to its antioxidant properties, dark chocolate enhances focus and concentration, while milk chocolate can improve reaction time and our memory.

6. Encourage Fun Breaks

Most of us think that entertainment and productivity don't go along. But that doesn't really have to be true. If you approach it in the right way, playtime breaks can do wonders in boosting employee morale and efficiency.

However, you should find games that simultaneously entertain us and stimulate our brains. There are tons of brain games such as crossword puzzles, sudoku or interesting video games that can help you and your coworkers work much better.

7. Adjust The Lighting

Not only having that classic, direct lighting in your office doesn't really look nice, but it can actually affect our productivity. Namely, in a survey group oriented at exploring how lighting affects work efficiency and productivity, it was found that each employee lost around 15 minutes on eye focusing problems due to the direct lighting.

Adjusting the kind of lighting you have in your office might not only erase those 15 minutes of lost time but can also increase employee satisfaction. When the lighting is more visually appealing, employees might perceive their workplace as a "nice place to work" which will make them feel better about their job.