5 things we’re doing that make us more productive

Spaceworks is a shared office space based in the vibrant and exciting John Street Works triangle off London Road. With the diverse range of businesses using our desk space we thought we’d share some of our experiences and ideas of how to be productive – from Spaceworks and beyond.

          Time sheets

We’ve been experimenting with using time sheets this last few weeks and wow what a difference it’s made. Particularly when you are working for yourself, it forces you to think about what you are spending your time doing and whether it’s the most cost effective use of your time. The down side is that you can focus on filling in the time sheets rather than using them to evaluate how you are using your time.

          Score 3/5

          Good work space

One of the reasons for setting up Spaceworks came from the experience of working at home with the distraction of the dishwasher, the kids, the shopping, people coming to the door, chickens escaping, the list goes on for all of us. Finding a good space to work is key to being productive. We’ve seen that a clean and clear space makes a huge difference to how productive we are. One of the added bonuses to shared workspace has been that when you are stressed and working towards a tight deadline, other people in Spaceworks will notice and offer to make you a drink – a small act but really appreciated when you’ve barely got time to breathe let alone put the kettle on.

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          Switching the internet off

Sometimes this seems counterproductive – but all we can say is try it! If the internet is on, we find we get distracted by tweets and emails, so if you have a looming deadline for a piece of work, or you have set aside an hour to strategise, try disconnecting your laptop from the ‘net. We’ve found that limits distractions, enabling you to focus. What you don’t want to feel is stressed by this, if you are waiting for an important email then obviously this isn’t the idea for you!

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           Lists

We’re real fans of lists in Spaceworks. Actually, we are fans of ticking things off our lists. Crossing off that task so forcefully that you rip through the paper, or finishing an entire to-do list in a day; who doesn’t like a list?

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           Having a break

Our favourite, having a break and a coffee. We’ve found it’s helpful to pause and enjoy a break – it’s helped to spark some great ideas, to keep our energy up and to make the day fun too. However, a time limit on breaks can also be helpful to not get too distracted and forget why you are there!

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Those are our favourite ideas for being more productive; please get in touch if you want to know more about joining us in Spaceworks, the shared work space.