How To Survive The Open Office Environment?
You sit at your desk, fighting yourself as you desperately try to get back your focus on tasks. You hear neverending *click, click, click* noises from your nearest colleague that’s writing hundreds of emails to clients. You feel continuous taps on your back from a teammate that’s always asking for your opinion, and so on.
Let’s all admit it — in terms of productivity, open offices are not the greatest choice. Sure, they work absolutely amazing for collaboration and boosting creativity, but they are super distracting if you need to focus for longer periods of time.
The good news is, there is a solution for surviving the open office environment (in other words, you CAN still be productive while working in such a workspace)! But before we share our secret, let’s talk a little bit more about why you might feel so bothered in an open office space.
3 reasons why you might feel unproductive in an open office
For different people, productivity drivers can vary — for some fellows productivity can be caused by waking up early, while others feel like they can accomplish more by taking regular breaks.
However, we all can conclude that the main triggers, that can disrupt your workflow, are more or less the same for everyone. Let’s have a look at some of them!
1. Having no space for thoughts
As the name itself suggests, open offices are… well… open. Meaning, you can probably see most of your colleagues from your desk, because there are no real walls that separate you.
And for most people, having no space for your own thoughts can have a toll on work efficiency.
2. Persistent noise
More often than not, people who work in open offices complain about the noise — colleagues chatting, different types of music blasting, and brainstorming sessions happening all at the same time.
While some light background noise can improve creativity and help to relax, research shows that too much noise does the exact opposite — it not only distracts but also can increase overall anxiety.
3. Constantly getting questions from colleagues
When you have your own office room, you can lock yourself in when you need to focus on your tasks, but in the open office, everyone for some reason thinks that they can ask you hundreds of questions all the time.
You have to repeat the “not now, I’m busy” phrase every time someone comes up to you. Ah, imagine, if only there would be a way to communicate your availability to all at the same time without even talking…
Easy solution — invest in high-quality productivity gadgets
Well, now you can do just that — let everyone know if you’re busy or available without saying a single word —, using the brand new Luxafor Orb busy light!
This little futuristic-looking availability indicator is perfect for open offices as it can be seen from far away (AND, thanks to its round shape, from different angles). It allows you to take control of the workspace distractions and set up your workflow to achieve exceptional results in different office environments.
You can also use this productivity device as your personal assistant when you’re working from home. It’s light-weighted and compact, so you can just take it home and use Zapier to connect it with Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Zoho, Slack, and over 1’500 other apps to receive personalized and unique notifications on your own terms.
How does it work?
Using Luxafor Orb do not disturb light is easier than you might think:
- by using pre-set colors, like RED for “Busy” and GREEN for “Available”, or individually customized color-coding systems, let your co-workers know when you’re working on something, asking them not to disturb you;
- the built-in timer helps you execute deep-work sessions, ensuring that you make the most out of your workday;
- when you feel the need for a deeper focus on your tasks, turn off all the unnecessary notifications, receiving only the most important alerts about incoming emails instantly – without the need to check your inbox all the time!
So, whenever you want to be left alone to do your work, even though physically you are surrounded by many colleagues, just turn your Luxafor Orb on red, telling them to back off with their questions and gossip.
Well then… are open offices survivable?
Just like everything else in this world, open offices, too, have their pros and cons. And while some might say that they are an awful choice for a workspace because they significantly reduce work efficiency, there are ways you can still make them work.
The key is to find the right devices that can help you with boosting productivity, and Luxafor Orb might be the tool just for you! So, if you want to survive in the open office environment, and increase your work efficiency, feel free to check it out here!
LUXAFOR HELPS PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE THEIR GREATEST PRODUCTIVITY LEVELS WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF OFFICE PRODUCTS. LET’S BE PRODUCTIVE TOGETHER!
Do you want to build and maintain new habits? Get your free PDF version of the Don't Break The Chain calendar and start today!
Do you want to build and maintain new habits? Get your free PDF version of the Don't Break The Chain calendar and start today!
Author's Bio
Jessica Chapman is a writing editor from Chicago who enjoys traveling. She works with Australian Writings, and if you need programming assignment help, she is the best person you can ask. She is also into politics and sports.
