THE WATER COOLER
Make Your Cube More Conducive To Productivity
Cubicles weren’t always the stodgy, impersonal boxes they appear to be today. The three-walled work station was born to be a much more fluid space—the Action Office. The original open-plan office system, complete with an adjustable-height desk and vertical filing system, was introduced in the 1960s but failed to take off.
The original intent of the Action Office—to offer workers fluid workspaces that would promote productivity and efficiency—seemed to be lost as companies sought a better way to squeeze more workers into less space. The adjustable desk was ditched, and modular furniture—including those dreaded cubicle walls—became the go-to equipment for outfitting office spaces.
If an open-plan workspace is not in the cards for you, try these techniques for improving productivity wherever you work.
Get a better chair.
A desk chair that supports your back and can be adjusted for height will help you stay comfortable during long periods at your desk.
Get a second monitor.
Multiple monitors are a favorite setup for multitaskers. For many, seeing more at once enables them to get more done, more efficiently.
Stash items that aren’t used every day.
Clutter happens. Remove tools and resources that aren’t used every day, and place them in easy-to-reach or well-catalogued locations so you can still access them quickly when you need them.
Organize your desk to optimize your workflow.
Create a simple system for organizing tasks by immediacy—either online or with filing trays—and separate your desk into two major areas: computer work and non-computer work.
