Whether you have an employer or are an entrepreneur working from your home, your office – the place where you work and earn your money – is a lot more critical to your productivity and success than you might think.

Therefore, it is essential that your work environment be conducive to productivity. The following four items, as simple as they may seem, have been known to disrupt the highest of achiever’s ability to function at an optimum level.

Noise

Noise is one of the biggest distractions in any office, and one that can seriously interfere with your chances of getting things done. In fact, there is a lot of evidence that suggests that many people view a noisy work environment as being more of an annoyance than anything else – including comfort and cleanliness. The constant noise alone can not only kill office productivity, it can add to stress levels, which in turn leads to a reduction in productivity. If noise is an issue in your workspace, consider making acoustic improvements and invest in double or triple glazing to keep external noise from distracting you.

Temperature

When it’s really hot, or really cold, productivity can often take a nosedive – and it might have a lot more impact than you might think. According to several studies, you could lose as much as 50% of your productivity if you are feeling too cool or too warm. If the temperature in your office is an issue, take a moment to research using terms such as air conditioning repair near me so that the hot summers and cold winters don’t have an impact on your productivity – or your profits. Experts suggest a temperature of between 70-75 F.

Design

If you run an office, how much effort do you put into the design? Given that you and your team likely spend eight hours or more a day sitting at your desks, perhaps it’s an area you should give a little more attention. You’ll need to investigate all kinds of things, from whether an open plan layout is more productive, as opposed to single offices. Decide whether using ergonomic furniture to ensure that your staff is comfortable is a priority. Feng shui, anyone?
Office blandness is another significant productivity drain as well so consider the appropriate type of decorating for your environment if you want people to work hard and excel.

Hunger

Many people work through their lunch breaks, which is counterproductive to productivity. When you are hungry, you are pretty much distracted at all times. But beyond the distraction, your low blood sugar can wreck your concentration levels. It’s important to eat, even if only light snacks, and drink water at regular times of the day. Try having fresh fruit available so that your staff or you can have a healthy treat when you need it.

You’re the boss! Minimize distractions and maximize productivity. Do it for you and for the team that you have assembled to contribute to your success.

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