How to do more with your time in office
Office life can sometimes be a drag, andit doesn‘t take much for boredom to set in and distractions to take over
January 14, 2013 / 17:14 IST
Peter Ames
Office life can sometimes be a drag, andit doesn’t take much for boredom to set in and distractions to take over. However it might not have to be like this; there are steps you can take that could make your workday more enjoyable, and more productive. Peter Ames, who writes for desk and office space marketplace Office Genie, looks at how you can do more with a day in the office.Go in an hour early, or stay a bit late,but make the most out of itVery few workers start working straight away.One way to make sure you’re energised and ready to go when the day begins is to go into the office an hour earlier, and put this time towards some non-work related tasks.Alternatively, if you’re not much of an early bird, try doing the same but at the end of the day.Comedienne Sarah Milligan suggested this method is one of the factors that has helped her towards her dream career in comedy. When working in an office she would go in an hour early (citing the fact everyone takes a while to warm up) to pen her acts. Why not? It’s quieter, you’ll have all the access to computing services you might need, and you may even be a little more ready at the start of the day.Set aside some email-sorting timeRecent research has shown the average person spends around 120 hours a year sifting through emails, so any steps you can take to manage this can be a real bonus. Set aside half an hour (or however long it takes within reason!) at the start of your day to manage your emails, read the important ones, reply when you need to and delete the waves of rubbish. If you adhere to this, you might avoid becoming one of the 6% of people who were found to have simply abandoned all hope of ever being able to organise their email, and completely given up on trying!Shut the browser down If you’re attempting a task that doesn’t require the internet (OK, there aren’t many that don’t these days) then why not see if shutting down your internet browser doesn’t help you increase your efficiency?There are a host of (mainly cat-related) distractions awaiting you on the web; 48%of workers in a recent study said they often wasted their time on the internet. Without a browser open, you might find yourself a little less tempted to let your attention wander.Get out of the office!This may sound a little counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to increase your productivity at work could be to get out of the office when you have the chance. Some 79% of the respondents to a recent survey said they worked better after an energizing lunchbreak outside the office; proof a clearly defined work/life balance is vital to enjoying your time at work, and this could really help you build towards this. Additionally, if you go out for a drink or a bite to eat with colleagues at lunch time, it can be a good way to get to know them a little better and help you develop some great working relationships.Peter Ames is the Web Editor for Office Genie, a UK marketplace for desk and office space
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