Want to give an extra boost to productivity around your office, but sick of seeing regurgitated LinkedIn productivity hacks?
There’s certainly no shortage of conventional wisdom. But surely with the introduction of AI, there has to be something new to try – right?
After working with hundreds of small Aussie businesses, we can confidently say: of course there is!
But sometimes the greatest advice is hidden behind things that may sound a little crazy at first.
So, we compiled a list of the most unconventional – but totally plausible and proven – productivity boosting practices for 2023!
#1 Increase Productivity & Your Health At The Same Time By Standing
Of all the ideas on this list, the stand up desk is probably the most well known.
In recent years, the standing desk has become a trend adopted by many large & successful companies, such as Nike, Google, Microsoft & Yahoo – to name a few.
How does it help? A stand up desk helps boost productivity by waking your body up activating blood circulation through motion.
This increased blood circulation throughout your body is proven to give you feelings of increased mental clarity, energy, and can even help with back pain!
Many stand up desks nowadays are adjustable; so your employees can still choose to sit down if they want to.
#2 Consider A Shorter, Four Day Work Week
This is by far the most contentious item on the list. Yet, many successful companies – and even entire countries like Belgium & Denmark – have adopted the 4-day work week.
How does it help? Most noticeably, reducing the number of working days lowers the chance of employees “burning out.”
This is when people have been pushed too far and their productivity plummets, or worse, they face mental breakdowns.
A 4-day work week also forces people to be more productive due to having less time.
Many business owners have reported seeing increased levels of focus & collaboration amongst employees, simply because they have more energy and are more motivated to get projects done in a shorter time frame.
#3 Leave your Emails Until After Lunch Time
There’s no doubt about it: emails are the biggest productivity killer.
On a very rare occasion you may need to answer an urgent email; but more often than not, that urgent email could have waited a few hours at least.
And if it’s truly an emergency, it’s more than likely your client would simply call you.
Meanwhile, 99% of emails you answer could easily wait a few days while you focus on projects that move the needle for your company.
How does it help? If you answer every email within an hour of receiving it, you garner a reputation as someone who will get work done quickly.
Although this may sound helpful, it actually ends up meaning people will send you even more emails because they know you’ll reply sooner.
You’ll simply never get to a point where you have no more emails to answer – and then there’s always tomorrow!
By leaving your emails until lunch time, you can give yourself a good three or four hour window to complete your most important tasks that will truly make a difference to your business.
#4 Play With Legos & Involve The Whole Team!
Now we know this one is definitely unconventional – but hear us out!
The next time you want to boost productivity & creativity in your office, you may want to consider bringing a large tub of legos to play with.
How does it help? Studies have linked lego building to heightened senses of productivity & creativity after at least thirty minutes of play.
This is because:
- You have to figure which blocks to piece together in order to create an object. This engages the problem solving part of your brain, which subconsciously works on your job problems, too
- Being able to build something – even if it’s a toy – can give you a sense of progress and achievement. This will have a domino effect that will make your daily tasks easier to do
- It’s a great distraction to give your brain a short break
- Building legos is a fantastic team building exercise for the whole crew!
The Biggest Productivity Hack Is Old Fashioned!
Alright, enough of the unconventional wisdom that may boost your productivity; let’s hear about the tried and tested practices that absolutely increase your profits!
Namely, hiring a professional accountant is one of the best ways to grow your business and take control of your finances.
At The A Firm, we’re now offering a free meet and greet session to go over how you can scale your business right now!