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.
Score 5/5
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!
Score 4/5
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?
Score 5/5
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!
Score 3/5
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.
