If you've ever spent more than a day or two working in an office environment, you can quickly come to realize that productivity can be problematic. Office workplaces are professional environments that can sometimes help with getting things done and staying focused. Unfortunately, humans have the tendency to allow their minds to wander and as a result, can end up struggling to maintain productivity. As a result, there are no shortages of offices looking for ways to increase the workplace productivity of their workers. Today, we are going to highlight a couple of simple methods that you can employ in order to get yourself and the rest of your office back on track. 


1. Recognize the Issue

When we talk about office productivity, what we really are talking about is our ability to focus. No matter how disciplined you are, the tendency to subconsciously slack off is a very real trait that we all have. A few wasted minutes here and a few wasted minutes there can add up to a wasted afternoon. If you take this productivity problem and spread it to the rest of the office, it can become a problem for your business. Fortunately, the best solutions in life are often the most simple. Improving office productivity starts by recognizing that employees need help with their focus and with not wasting too much time. 

2. Set up a Project Wall

 What is a project wall? That's a great question! A project wall, or dry erase wall, is a large dry erase marker board that you can use to set goals, track deadlines, and keep your office workers engaged. There are many different ways that this project wall can boost productivity. Get a bunch of different types of markers and allow employees to use their personality while updating the board. The dry erase board will become a symbol of your team's goals and a way to focus while having a little bit of fun. 

3. Set up a Break Schedule

Even the most disciplined office is going to be prone to lost time due to a lack of focus. In order to minimize procrastination and goofing around, make sure to set up a break schedule for yourself or the rest of the office. If you know that you can take a five-minute break every hour, you'll be able to focus on the other 55 minutes. The human mind is infinitely complex but still simple in a bunch of different ways. Having a simple short-term goal to focus on (your break) will allow your mind to fully digest whatever project you have in front of you. 

4. Minimize Office Meetings

 While Michael Scott is a fictional character, his focus on 'meetings' in the conference room is a real problem in conventional offices throughout every industry. While meetings can provide cool things for office employees to talk about, they are truly not necessary. Meetings waste time and completely end productivity for anywhere from a couple of minutes to multiple hours. If you have to have a meeting, make sure you do it as a 'standing meeting'. Standing meetings make it clear that you will only be getting together for a short period of time so that you can get back to the work that is already laid out for the employees. 

5. Learn the Pomodoro Method

 The Pomodoro Method is a type of technique that was developed in order to end procrastination. The Pomodoro Method is basically all about micromanaging your time in a fun and simple way. This procrastination solver was developed in the '80s by Francesco Cirillo. Basically, you break down your schedule into 25-minute intervals. Every 25 minutes, take a minute or two to yourself. Check your email, text your significant other, play your favorite app. By breaking down your 8-hour shift into 25-minute segments, you are able to really focus during your 'work' while having your downtime to look forward to. This is a great motivation technique for people who have struggle focusing. There are even unique office supplies that help employees to keep track of their schedules such as whiteboards or mobile apps.

Staying productive in the office can be difficult. Fortunately, there are many different ways that you can ensure that your office is focused on getting work done and making it out of the door by closing time. Use our techniques and employ your own ideas in order to become the most productive office that you can be!