Are you making the most of your time at work?  By making some minor adjustments to your schedule and habits, you could easily free up to 15 minutes a day and who doesn’t need just 15 extra minutes?  Check out these ideas originally found on Productivity501.com. 

1.  If you have some leeway in your arrival/departure time, use it to minimize your commute.  In most cities, shifting your workday by 30 or 15 minutes can cut your commute time in half.

2.  Know which is faster - stairs or elevator.  If you have less than 5 floors to climb, the stairs may be faster than the elevator.  You may have to do some experimenting, but saving an extra minute or two can really add up in a week or even a year.

3.  Don’t skip lunch.  Skipping lunch is unlikely to save you any time.  You need to take a break away from your work for at least 30 minutes.  It is counter-productive to try to plow through your work in 8 hours straight.  A break will help you to refocus and be productive for the remainder of the day.

4.  Don’t wait on things.  If your computer takes 4 minutes to boot.  Find something else that you can do for 4 minutes like check your mailbox, straighten your desk, etc.  You shouldn’t just sit there waiting for something.  Always use that time for something you are going to have to do anyways.

5.  Prepare for tomorrow.  When you leave for the day, spend a few minutes preparing for the next day.  Ask yourself, “what is on my mind right now that will save me time tomorrow?”  You may want to write yourself a short note or leave a file out as a reminder.

6.  Turn off email notifications.  If you are required to check your email throughout the day, train yourself to check it between tasks and not everytime you hear a notification.  Getting interrupted takes a lot longer to recover than you realize.  You are better off spending 15 minutes to complete a task than 30 minutes because your concentration has been broken.

7.  Don’t stay sitting down.  Sitting at your desk or cubicle all day is not the best thing for your productivity.  Getting up and walking around a little will help you get tasks done and think clearly.  If you have tasks that take you away from your cubicle, use them strategically.  Just standing at your desk while looking at email or a document will help.

8.  Batch Tasks.  Put tasks together that require the same level of concentration or same resources.  For example, if you have four tasks that require complete concentration, do them when you are least likely to be interrupted or forward your phone until all four are complete.  If you need to ask a colleage a question that isn’t pressing, wait until you have a couple of questions to ask at the same time.

9.  Identify and eliminate bottlenecks.  Try to remove obstacles that slow you down.  For instance, if you are continually having to stop and ask you boss how to handle situations, make a chart of how you have handled situations in the past and ask if you can use that for routine situations.  If your typing is slowing you down, get a copy of Mavis Beacon and practice at home everyday for 15-20 minutes.  You will be typing for your whole life so improving that skill will save you time in the long run.

10.  Understand your tools.  Many of the applications you use daily have many more features than you will ever possibly learn.  However, it is well worth the time to learn what they are capable of doing so that you can use new features as you need them.

• Bring an indoor plant to work. They give your office a little green flair and give oxygen as well as help filter indoor pollutants.  Some of the best office plants include: spider plant, jade plant and the peace lily.

• Recycle at your cubicle or desk.

• Get your daily dose of green by subscribing to green blogs like the one found at NewLifeOffice.com

• Showcase messages on your cubicle wall that promote environmental-friendliness and decorate your desk with earthy and recycled materials and objects.

• Put your computer in sleep mode.  Do so whenever you are away from the computer for any period of time, including short breaks.

• Go paperless.  This is one of the simplest actions you can take, yet it has one of the biggest impacts.  Only print those documents you must print.  Save paper and print double sided or re-use printer paper.

• Invest in reusable containers and utensils for lunch.  Have a reusable coffee mug and glass for drinking.  To clean, have available eco aware cleaning products.

• Turn off your computer and it’s power strip whenever you leave for the night.

• Make sure your office switches off it’s lights for the night.

• Eco commute:  ride your bicycle, take mass transit, or carpool to work.

• When in the market for new office cubicles, consider using remanufactured cubicles, refurbished cubicles, recycled cubicles or as is product from a reputable company like New Life Office.

In the book Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin Doland, the author gives some great phone tips for the office.  Doland stresses that she goes out of her way to not use the phone at work, and finds this to be very effective in helping her to stay on task.  When someone leaves a voicemail, Doland suggests sending a text message or an e-mail in return summarizing what was said in the voice mail and giving a response.  Since there is no record of communication with the phone, you don’t have anything to reference later and you can’t run a search on words used during the conversation.

Since most of us spend time at work dealing with facts and data, the phone should be taking a backseat to other forms of communication.  That being said, it’s impossible to avoid the phone in the workplace.  There are times when picking up the phone is the best way to handle a situation.  Here are some great suggestions by Doland for how to use the phone in an organized way during those time when you need to rely on it:

• Create talking points.  Before you make a call, jot down notes about what you need to cover in your discussion.  This is especially important before conference calls.  Like with meetings, you should never make a call without knowing how you would like the conversation to end.  If you can’t construct a purpose statement before dialing, don’t dial.

• Set a timer.  Whenever you call someone, you’re interrupting whatever it was the person was doing before you called.  Be respectful of this and make the call as brief as possible.  When someone calls you, be up front about how much time you have to be on the phone.  If the person on the other end of the line needs to talk to you for more than the number of minutes you said, then he or she can schedule a block of time to talk with you in the future.

• Use a headset if you’re on the phone for more than half an hour a day.  From an ergonomic perspective, your neck shouldn’t be cramped for extended periods of time.  Plus, your hands will be free to do mindless tasks while you’re on your call like filing papers, putting paper clips away in your drawer, etc.

• Don’t call people and ask whether they received your email.  If you are worried someone didn’t receive your initial email, just resend it with a note and the whole content of your previous message.  Ask for a confirmation of receipt if you’re afraid the e-mails aren’t arriving.  Not everyone checks their e-mail on your schedule, so don’t disrupt them further by calling.

• Use the do-not-disturb button.  Just because you’re sitting at your desk doesn’t mean that you have to answer the phone.  If you need to concentrate intently on work, hit the do-not-disturb  button and let all calls go to voicemail for that period of time.  This isn’t something you should do all the time, just when the time can significantly improve your productivity.

• Designate a time to return calls.  Maybe find a time when your energy level is low.  If calling people across the U.S., make sure to pick a time when everyone is still in the office.

These are some terrific tips that can easily be implemented into your day.  When I read this chapter, I was relieved to find out that I am not the only person who sits at their cubicle trying to avoid the phone in order to be more productive!  By applying some of these ideas, I’m sure to make much better use of my time while on the phone.

Controlling the noise levels in your telemarketing cubicles presents a significant challenge.  When your employees are exposed to excessive noise, they have a hard time concentrating.  If they are on the phone, they may have to struggle to hear the person on the other end of the line.  To make things worse, the customer may hear the buzz of multiple conversations in the background.  This gives a poor impression of the professional atmosphere of your company.

Controlling the sound in your office space is a complex process.  It involves the acoustical performance of every surface including walls, flooring, ceiling and furnishings.  The way your telemarketing cubicles are arranged will also impact overall noise levels. 

At New Life Office we can help you determine the best materials and layout for maximum noise reduction.  Our refurbished Steelcase panels have a high STC rating (Sound Transmission Class) to block sound.  The typical panel height for a call station is 53″ high.  This is a good height if you need to supervise employees with ease and still have a panel absorb sound.  Employers may want to think about going to 65″ high panels to block even more sound.

Deciding which option is best for your space is easily achieved with the help of a professional consultant.  New Life Office has been providing space planning and office design services for the past 20 years.  Our professionals can help you to determine the panel height and layout that will work best for your employees needs, the aesthetics of the space and the best possible acoustical environment.  The acoustical performance of your telemarketing stations can help to create a professional environment for the entire office.

This afternoon when I was sitting in my cubicle going through my email, a few questions came to my mind.  The questions were along these lines, Why don’t I have a mouse pad?  Should I have one?  Are they just cutesy or are they functional?  Of course, my questions led to a little research and the topic of my blog post today!

When do you need a mouse pad?

According to www.admin-ezine.com, You need a mouse pad when….

• You don’t get optimal performance from your mouse without one.
• You don’t get any performance from your mouse without one (e.g. it’s required with that particular mouse).
• It will help you with office ergonomics, such as raising the mouse up to the right height for you.  Or when using a mouse accessory will give your hand more support.
• You want a cute peripheral accessory for your desktop. 

It is important to consider what type of mouse you use at the office.  If you are using the old fashioned mechanical mouse with the hard tracking ball on the underside, using a a mouse pad will likely give it some better resistance and thus a smoother moving experience.  It may also keep the track ball and mouse insides cleaner.  You won’t be rolling the mouse around the desktop and all over the snack crumbs and dust remnants that can get inside by the track ball.  Thus, you will not be required to tear the mouse open and remove the ball to clean because it is not acting properly.

Typically, an optical mouse will work fine on a clean desktop. However, if you’re looking for some more precision, you may want a performance mousing surface like game players use. You’ll find some mouse pads specifically labeled as made for optical mice. Precision mousing surfaces are common among graphic designers and those using programs where you need to be quite detailed and exact.

Material:

The surface material of your mouse pad should give you traction and a smooth rolling experience.  If your mouse pad does not have these two qualities, it is just a piece of junk on your desk!  The backing should be a non-slip design, usually rubber.  Your mouse pad is not of much use if it keeps falling on the floor and this is why improvising a mouse pad versus buying the real thing doesn’t always work.

Size:

In regard to size, everyone may be a little different.  You may need a wider mousing surface because you keep scrolling off the edge of the mouse pad and don’t like to pick up the mouse and move it back.  On the other hand, you may want a smaller mouse pad that fits better in your smaller workstation.

Wrist Rest/Pillow Option:

You can get built-in gel wrist rest or palm support with your mousing surface. If you’re not using a mouse pad for your mouse, you can still buy a separate wrist rest/palm support without the mousing surface.  This will support your hand or your palm and offer protection to your wrist and related nerve while you’re using the mouse.

Adjustable Mouse Platform or Mouse Bridge:

A mouse platform or bridge might enable you to put the mouse over the numeric keypad on your keyboard.  You can also use a mouse platform that sits adjacent to your keyboard to adjust the angle of your mousing experience.

Comfort:

Some mousing accessories, such as wrist/palm supports, are ventilated for a cooler feel, literally. Angle and height are important ergonomically to help customize your mousing experience.

Price:

Mousing accessories range from free to $50 on average. Free would be a simple mouse pad a business gives as a premium gift to their customers. The higher $50 range might be a mouse pad or mousing surface with a built-in ergonomically correct wrist/palm rest.

Style:

I still think this is the best part about mouse pads!  The options are endless.  You can be boring and stare at your companies’ logo all day or you can customize a mouse pad with a picture of your loved ones.  The sky is pretty much the limit, whoever you are, you can find a mouse pad to express yourself.  Just remember to be tasteful and professional in the office!

Have you considered using shared workstations in your office to save money?  Going with an open office layout has its advantages and disadvantages.  Here are a few things to think about when deciding if a shared workstation is the right choice for your office.

A shared workstation can better utilize the space in an office by having desks condensed into mini enclosures instead of spread about the office’s main floor.

A shared workstation works best in a small office where frequent verbal communication is a key factor in getting the job done efficiently.  Instead of employees taking the time to e-mail, make a phone call, or walk to a co-workers desk, they can simply spin around in their chairs or lean over their monitors to ask the question that needs answering.  A shared workstation set up can help to further the sense of friendliness and camaraderie among employees.

A few downsides to shared workstations are the possibility of unnecessary conversation and interaction, which of course can become a big factor in jobs not getting done in a timely manner.  It also offers employees very little privacy from one another.  For example, if an employee gets a phone call from her child’s teacher, everyone else in the area is going to know said employee’s personal business.

One of the biggest things to consider about a shared workstation is the noise factor.  Will all of the business related conversing among employees in a bull pen upset other nearby employees’ abilities to focus and work?  If you decide to go with shared workstations, it may be a good idea to consider providing your employees a separate room shared by all where they can make personal phone calls, in-depth client phone calls, or simply duck into to get some work done in peace.

If you are really cramped for space and have different shifts for your employees, you may want to consider a shared cubicle option.  In this setup, one employee would utilize a desk on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and other would use the same desk on Tuesday and Thursday.  This setup would also work for a morning shift and evening shift.

The shared cubicle is a space saver and it allows employers to cut down on office product expenses.  Each cubicle can have one stapler, one phone, one computer to be used by two employees.

The biggest downside to a shared cubicle is privacy issues.  The first employee may have work done and saved that shouldn’t be seen by the second employee, and vice versa.  There are also personal belongings and valuables to consider.  If anything comes up missing, naturally the blame will fall on the other person in the workstation.  This can create a bit of a headache for a manager.

If you decide to go with the shared cubicle, consider giving the employees sharing the workspace and it’s computer separate passwords into your business’ main system.  Doing so will allow both employees to protect the privacy and content of their work.

Are you looking for some new high tech USB gadgets for your office cubicle or executive desk?  There are some great things on the market right now.  Of course, some gadgets are functional and some are just quirky!  Take a look at some of the new items I found on USBgadgets.org.

The USB Fibre Optic Christmas Tree is perfectly designed to give colorful shades to your Christmas celebrations.

It is a cool USB gadget to decorate your desktop and keep the Christmas spirit alive at your home or office. Just plug it into any USB port of your desktop PC or laptop and watch the tips of the branches turn blue, hypnotizing the entire room. The miniature tree comes complete with a realistic looking wooden pot.

Just imagine the atmosphere when an array of these miniature Christmas trees decorate your office cubicles in the most electrifying manner. It is also an ideal gift for your dear ones.

For people who just don’t have the time sit and grab a proper breakfast and read their morning newspaper at the same time, the Scan Toaster might be just the perfect home appliance. The unique design was conceptualized by designer Sung Bae Chang and even made it to the finals of a design competition held by appliance manufacturer Electrolux. The space-age gizmo connects to your PC via a USB port and downloads all kinds of information from weather to headlines or even cartoon strips right onto the bread. Thanks to a network of toasting “modules” heated by a hot wire, the toaster can burn content selected by the user on the slice.  There’s some news you can use!

AromaUSB is a tiny USB device that makes the atmospehere pleasant by filling the room with refreshing fragrance. You just have to plug this tiny key into the USB port of your computer, it takes care of the rest!

AromaUSB is available in a wide range of styles with the most exotic of fragrances. The tiny key is preloaded with perfume. Some of the models even let you refill it once it is empty. Corporate houses can get these USB keys with their custom logo imprinted on it, which makes the AromaUSB an ideal promotional novelty.

Click here for more details.

The Butt Cooler Cushion doesn’t leave much room for guessing, they just go right to the point and don’t dance around the truth.  You have to value that level of bluntness.  This Thanko cushion is meant to make sure that even your posterior stays nice and cool while you’re sitting in front of a very warm computer.  That’s one heck of an accomplishment to stay cool in the presence of a computer.

USB Friends Mailbox Alert.  Instead of checking 5 different websites and trying to keep track of who is messaging you, try this mailbox alert that plugs into your usb and will light up whenever you have a message waiting.  If you don’t think you will notice the red glow, it has other ways of notifying you as well!

A few days ago I caught a glimpse of a great article on MSN.com.  It was titled 6 Zen-Inspired Ways to Boost Your Mood at Work by Jenny Everett of SELF magazine.  There were some great ideas on how to find your smile at work for free! 

Here is a basic recap of some of the ideas mentioned:

1.  Hop on the treadmill before work.  If you can’t work out before work, Everett suggests breaking away at lunch.  Aerobic activity may be the most effective thing you can do to bring on calm.  Studies show that workouts counteract stress related memory loss by speeding up production of new nerve cells in the brain’s memory processing center. This is really a 2 for 1 deal.  Get some exercise and reduce stress!

2.  Green up you work area.  A study from the University of Michigan found that office workers with a view of nature tend to be more enthusiastic and patient than those without.  Research also found that people feel less stressed and get more done when they have potted plants around at work.  Everett suggests opting for a fern or a peace lily, which are hard to kill.

3.  Breathe.  According to Everett, some studies show that regular meditation reduces the recurrence of depression as effectively as medication.  If you cannot sit and chant in your cubicle, try doing little things like focusing on your breath.  If your mind wanders, let your thoughts go and refocus on inhaling and exhaling.  Aim to do this a few times a day for a couple of minutes - or anytime you feel like your head is going to explode!

4.  Pack a Nutritious Lunch.  Salmon, fruits and veggies are what Everett suggests.  The omega-3 fatty acids in cold water fish help the brain respond to signals from the mood chemicals dopamine and seotonin.  The antioxidants and flavonoids in colorful fruits and veggies work in combination with emega-3’s to protect teh brain  from harmful inflammation that can trigger depression.

5.  Prioritize.  If your mind is scattered, Everett suggests picturing a firefighter’s ladder  (strong, lifesaving, simple to climb).  Set your to-do’s on each rung with the easiest on the bottom.  You instantly prioritize ad can start putting out fires.

6.  Pick a mantra every time you have a meltdown.  Repeat a positive affirmation in your head.  Research shows that reflecting on a personal value controls cortisol levels, effectively reducing stress.  Can’t think of a good mantra?  Try “I love my life!”  and repeat it when you’re happy.  You will train your mind to associate the phrase with being content.  Then, when you are on edge, chant your mantra and you’ll immediately feel at ease.  A study in the journal of NeuroReport indicates that people who meditate every day have a thicker cortex, the brain region associated with concentration and memory.

I like this list because all of the items seem very do-able.  If you are like me, you are probably doing some or most of these activities to a certain extent and can make some minor changes here and there.  I you find me in my cubicle chanting “serenity now” and or focusing on my breathing, you’ll know that I am just trying to find my smile on the job!

I think we have all been in that situation where a co-worker comes into your private office or cubicle and literally steals time out of your already hectic workday.  What can you do to let them know you don’t have time without being rude?  Some co-workers don’t take the subtle hints you throw their way and you have to come up with a strategy to escape, and do it quickly!

I came across a great list of ideas to keep people from wasting your time in the office at www.productivity501.com.  I like these ideas because they do not seem outright rude or impolite, yet they will help to get the message out that your time is valuable.

• Stand - By standing when someone walks into your office, you will usually prevent them from taking a seat.  This can help keep them focused on the purpose of their visit and getting back to work (where they can sit again).

• Meet them at the door - If you see someone about to come into your office, meeting them at the door puts you physically between them and your area.  You are being polite because you’ve walked toward them to meet them, but at the same time, it prevents them from trapping you inside your office.

• Take Notes - This works well if a coworker is wanting to share the office gossip.  Simply take out a pad and pen when they enter your area and ask them how you can help them.  Their conversation is going to be much more focused on work if they think you are writing it down.  I love this one!  I wish I had thought of it myself years ago!

• Go to them -  By going to meet them in their office or work space, you can stay in control of when you need to leave.  It is much easier to leave someone else’s space gracefully than to remove them from yours.

• Walk them back to their work area - This has to be done carefully, but if you meet them at the door, it is usually pretty easy to stroll with them back to their work space while chatting and then tactfully excuse yourself.

• Office Furniture - Not having a place to sit can help keep your visitors focused.  Keeping a guest chair in the closet for the times you need it works as well. Another idea is to keep your guest chair piled with stacks of paper or equipment and only clear it if you want your visitor to stay (this can look rather tacky, but if your office is already a mess …). 

• Uncomfortable guest chair - I was introduced to this one when I began designing offices out of college.  I had an executive tell me that he wanted uncomfortable side chairs so employees wouldn’t want to sit in them for long.  What a great idea and something I have shared with others.  When you are selecting guest chairs, remember you are not going to sit in them and how long do you want someone else to?

• Close your door - Depending on your office culture, closing your door can help reduce unnecessary interruptions. On the other hand, it can reduce interruptions that are important as well.

What do you think of these ideas?  Have you tried any of them or have additional ideas that would work?

Can you believe that an average office worker, throughout his career, spends 80,000 hours sitting in an office chair?  This is an amazing statistic and it helps put into perspective how important it is to have an ergonomic, adjustable chair.

The human body is not structured to sit in a chair all day.  Your body requires muscles to work continually to help you sit.  Sitting is harder on your back than standing because when you stand the spine is in a state called lordosis, with pressure evenly distributed along the 24 vertebrae of your backbone.  The blood flow along the spine is unobstructed.  When sitting, you bend the body at a right angle and flatten the lumbar. 

It is a misconception that your backbone supports your body.  Your body actually supports your backbone.  The back’s 24 vertebrae and its jelly-like disks offer you flexibility, but not much strength.  When standing pressure is evenly distributed along your backbone.  When you sit at a right angle, the bending of your body flattens the lumbar and causes a state called kyphosis, or uneven pressure on the disks in your back.  This state strains the muscles in that area and causes lower pack pain. 

The less you move while sitting, the less your body is able to supply other parts of your body with vital nutrients.  When your lumbar area is nutrient deprived, the fluid-filled disks harden.  As they become less flexible, your body is more vulnerable to injuries caused by motion.  Sitting incorrectly essentially crunches your lumbar area and will gradually erode the disks in your back over time.  Just sitting for 20 minutes can so reduce the flow of nutrients to your disks that they can begin to harden.  If your chair is too soft and cushy, your body doesn’t really move much and your disks pay the price.

It may seem pretty obvious how to sit in a chair.  However, there are ways to do it that promote a healthier body.  Studies have proven that sitting in a properly adjusted chair that encourages motion reduces cumulative trauma disorders to nerves, tendons, and the neurovascular system.  It is important to continually allow your muscles and bones to find the most stable, healthy position as easily as possible. 

One of the most important features of an ergonomic chair is adjustability.  Here are some great adjustment tips from Neutral Posture: