Productivity Problems: 5 Environmental Factors That Could Be Affecting Your Productivity

We tend to think of productivity as being an internally produced phenomenon. However, there are many external factors that can boost or rob you of productivity. To ensure you’re able to end each day on a high note, with plenty of important tasks achieved, consider adjusting the following five environmental elements:

1. Constant interruptions

If you’re working from home but you don’t live alone, your workday is at risk of being broken up into a thousand tiny, less productive pieces. Even if it’s just a quick question about bills from your housemate or an offer of tea from your spouse, these little moments break the flow of your work, making it harder to maintain consistent productivity.

If this sounds all too familiar, it may be time to consider switching to a serviced office space. For a low monthly fee, you can find a conveniently-located office that will give you the comfortable bubble you need to power through your work.

Funnily enough, this can actually lead to you spending more time with your loved ones. You can swap the minutes of time spent chatting all throughout the workday for a long stretch of catch-up time at the end of the workday.

2. Poor workplace design

If your office is cluttered, drab, outdated, or poorly designed in terms of ergonomics, it’s no wonder your productivity is lagging. Our environment has a major impact on our mood, so if you want to be productive and happy at work, it’s essential to create an office environment that communicates those feelings to you.

While there’s no one design aesthetic that will spell perkiness and productivity for everyone, there are a few key factors to get right. Remove all clutter from your space and ensure your environment is clean every time you start work. As a bonus, this little ritual of preparing your space will give you an extra motivational kick.

3. Mold, allergens, and environmental toxins

If you’re feeling brain foggy and under the weather every day, it might be worth checking your home and work environment for mold and other toxins. If you haven’t yet swapped Teflon pans for healthy non-stick cookware, now is the time to do it. You may also wish to visit an allergy clinic to see if there’s anything in your environment that may be triggering allergies. And if the brain fog persists, it may be worth visiting a medical professional for a check-up.

4. Noise pollution

Whether you’re working from home or in a more traditional office setting, noise pollution can be a major productivity killer. From power tools and construction equipment to music you would never choose to listen to yourself, intrusive sounds can leave you feeling constantly nagged at. However, this feeling is often subconscious, so you may not even realize how much the noise is affecting you.

To combat this, consider a white noise machine, a good quality set of headphones, or a specialized set of earplugs. If you need to be able to hear your manager or colleagues, we recommend earplugs designed for musicians. These cut out annoying frequencies while still allowing you to hear what’s going on around you.

5. Lack of connection to nature

If your office environment is too artificial, this could spell disaster for your productivity. Study after study has shown that humans thrive when we have plenty of exposure to the natural world. So, if you can, let as much sunlight into your office as possible, and find a spot to work where you have a nature-infused view.

Address these environmental factors, and your workdays should soon blossom into far more satisfying adventures in productivity.