Pittsburgh Arts, Regional Theatre, New Work, Producing, Copyright, Labor Unions,
New Products, Coping Skills, J-O-Bs...
Theatre industry news, University & School of Drama Announcements, plus occasional course support for
Carnegie Mellon School of Drama Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni.
CMU School of Drama
Thursday, October 31, 2019
15 Home Office Organization Tips to Save Time and Get More Done
www.lifehack.org: The opportunity to work from home has become more common as the way we work shifts away from the traditional office to more flexible arrangements where companies can hire the best not just locally, but globally.
I tend to be skeptical when reading any sort of article about 'life hacks', as they are rarely anything more than a pile of rubbish. That said, there are a few good nuggets of advice in here that can and do make a difference when it comes to productivity. Last year in Production Resource Management, we talked about personal organization and productivity strategies. One of the major sources we used when discussing this topic was "Getting Things Done" by David Allen. Just like "Getting Things Done", the article suggests that one organize their life around existing workflows that make sense for the reader, adapting their organization style to the kind of work they do. Creating a structure that encourages work and keeps you focused are critical to getting stuff done. One of the parts of this article that I really like is the suggestion to de-clutter your desk and clean it at the beginning of each day. Ending my day with piles of stuff on the desk makes me feel like I accomplished very little, even if all the clutter is the result of a lot of work. It leaves me without a sense of closure. Further, coming back the next day with my desk already covered in stuff makes the coming day's work seem insurmountable. Having a clean desk at the beginning and end of the day is critical to my productivity!
I needed to read this article. In high school I struggled finding a place to work because I would either get bad back pain or fall asleep wherever I tried to work. I have found that tables hurt my neck and shoulders, my bed puts me right to sleep, and sitting on a couch with my legs out is very productive. I made this discovery midway through junior year thankfully so my final work was quality. When I got to college, however, I found that I had no good couch to work on. My desk in my dorm was cluttered and uncomfortable, my bed meant sleep, and 33 is too loud and distracting. Thankfully, I have found that working in my sorority’s house has been a very productive place for me to work. I have the choice of sitting at a table, chair, or various couches. If I need to write things out or charge my computer, I will go work at the table, but otherwise I will work on the center couch. I am so lucky that I have found this work space where I am productive. I feel like I should also find an alternative place to work using the methods provided in this article for when I want a break from the house.
There were definitely a handful of ideas that I find helpful and I might keep in mind. These tips are quite applicable to us here in Purnell. I realized just yesterday that I spend more time in Purnell every day than I spend in my own dorm room. Having a specific place to do your work like the article suggested is a challenge for us college students. I do have a desk in 33, but when I don’t have to use it I like to move. Getting light was also an excellent suggestion, and 33 doesn’t have great natural light. The article suggested having a regular working schedule. We have regularly scheduled classes, but the other times we do work have to be randomly jammed into free time. Not eating lunch at your desk was tip number seven, and I think that we are up and active enough to not have to worry about it. The last tip I want to mention is the idea of keeping your desk clutter free. That’s interesting to me because I’m usually messy, especially when working on lots of projects, but recently, I’ve been keeping my desks clear. It reminds me of the Einstein quote: “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” I think that speaks truth, but now I’m a bit worried about my own practices.
This article is really interesting to me as someone who struggles greatly to work at home I find it interesting looking at some of the top techniques that they listed here and since they already align with things that I have tried to do at my home workplace. The most newest tips to me where the planning your day and cleaning up your desktop everyday. I am someone who tries to plan my week out every week at the beginning and then working from there I’d never thought about doing it the day before as I often see myself having to edit and change my schedule throughout the course of the week going back and forth depending on what happens as I do it. In terms of cleaning my desktop that’s definitely something that I know that I need to work on doing more often as I am constantly having to make space for things on my desk and finding papers from past things.
I’m always skeptical of productivity life hacks, as they seem to repeat the same, largely useless, information over and over again. But there was actually some good information in this article, and it was interesting to see what tips I had already inadvertently applied to my own life. In high school, I was always most productive either at my desk in my bedroom or at a coffee shop. It’s been a shift in college to find the places where I can be most productive, and when and what to do at each place. Just last night, I rearranged my desk space to face the window in my dorm, and I’ve already found that this makes my space more of a haven for me, and is more inviting to get work done at. One thing I’ve learned throughout high school (and by reading a lot of productivity-focused articles) is how to adapt tips and suggestions to my own life. At the end of the day, my workspace should serve me and help me to be more productive, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach for that.
The tip that stuck with me the most to make sure one's work area got plenty of natural light. As a freshman DP, I get most of my work done inside 33 because of my desk and my supplies, but 33 has, and pardon my French, really crap access to natural light. We have one high window that leaves the studio blue and hazy in the morning at best, which, for uncertain reasons, causes me a great deal of anxiety. My dorm room does not have good natural light either. My desk in my room is away from the windows, so I get virtually no natural light. This is why I like working on the second floor of Purnell, over the lobby area. There is light from the floor-to-ceiling window by the grand staircase, there is light from the skylights above the third floor, and there is light from the windows in the lobby. It's a good workplace despite all the tables being a bit wonky.
This article also helps with ways to do work and study at home. It does not only apply to people who work from home. The tips that were given are really helpful and even though I already do a bit of them adding the rest to the list can help me complete and do work well at home. The tip I found very interesting was the light tip, I like the dark and focus well in the dark interestingly enough. Once it is too bright or there is so much light, I lose focus and sometimes develop a migraine from trying to focus. I also found the tip about finding the times when you can do the most work to be helpful. Knowing how your mind works and how long your attention span is can help a lot when it comes to doing work. I also really enjoy listening to music while working or studying because it helps me focus and I don't really need a work playlist, as long as I can get into the music I can work.
This article laid out in great detail all the things I planned to do, but lacked the discipline to follow through with, when I was a freelancer. I had a desk space with a monitor, and I was generally able to set myself up to work there when I really had to get down to it. However, it was in my bedroom, and I was generally physically uncomfortable because I had a bad chair (and it was extremely cold in my bedroom), so I would inevitably gravitate back to my comfy, cozy bed, and eventually gravitate to doing things other than work. I could have set up temporary workspaces in the living room, but I lived with three roommates and a dog, and our living room was often busy and loud. If I am being honest, I think that there is a baseline income or life situation that you have to achieve in order to follow some of this advice. You have to be able to afford the kind of home that allows for that sort of workstation.
I don't think that this article had any groundbreaking tips or ideas within in it however I do think sometimes it's good to be reminded of how simple things can motivate you and assist you to do better more focused work. I know personally that at this point in the semester the workload is quite significant and I find myself constantly frustrated that I'm not able to do more focused efficient work. Of course this article was about working from home but a lot of the tips are general enough that they can apply to working within an office space as well. I think for me I have a hard time working at home because I spend so much of my time in the office that once I'm home I don't want to be working I just want to be,usually, sleeping when I get back from work. However I do think being able to work from home particularly on the weekends is really beneficial because it allows me to stay away from the office and the Purnell Center without completely stopping me of all sort of productivity. So I do think I'm going to try and integrate some of these suggestions into my workspace at home as well as in the office and hopefully benefit from them.
9 comments:
I tend to be skeptical when reading any sort of article about 'life hacks', as they are rarely anything more than a pile of rubbish. That said, there are a few good nuggets of advice in here that can and do make a difference when it comes to productivity. Last year in Production Resource Management, we talked about personal organization and productivity strategies. One of the major sources we used when discussing this topic was "Getting Things Done" by David Allen. Just like "Getting Things Done", the article suggests that one organize their life around existing workflows that make sense for the reader, adapting their organization style to the kind of work they do. Creating a structure that encourages work and keeps you focused are critical to getting stuff done. One of the parts of this article that I really like is the suggestion to de-clutter your desk and clean it at the beginning of each day. Ending my day with piles of stuff on the desk makes me feel like I accomplished very little, even if all the clutter is the result of a lot of work. It leaves me without a sense of closure. Further, coming back the next day with my desk already covered in stuff makes the coming day's work seem insurmountable. Having a clean desk at the beginning and end of the day is critical to my productivity!
I needed to read this article. In high school I struggled finding a place to work because I would either get bad back pain or fall asleep wherever I tried to work. I have found that tables hurt my neck and shoulders, my bed puts me right to sleep, and sitting on a couch with my legs out is very productive. I made this discovery midway through junior year thankfully so my final work was quality. When I got to college, however, I found that I had no good couch to work on. My desk in my dorm was cluttered and uncomfortable, my bed meant sleep, and 33 is too loud and distracting. Thankfully, I have found that working in my sorority’s house has been a very productive place for me to work. I have the choice of sitting at a table, chair, or various couches. If I need to write things out or charge my computer, I will go work at the table, but otherwise I will work on the center couch. I am so lucky that I have found this work space where I am productive. I feel like I should also find an alternative place to work using the methods provided in this article for when I want a break from the house.
There were definitely a handful of ideas that I find helpful and I might keep in mind. These tips are quite applicable to us here in Purnell. I realized just yesterday that I spend more time in Purnell every day than I spend in my own dorm room. Having a specific place to do your work like the article suggested is a challenge for us college students. I do have a desk in 33, but when I don’t have to use it I like to move. Getting light was also an excellent suggestion, and 33 doesn’t have great natural light. The article suggested having a regular working schedule. We have regularly scheduled classes, but the other times we do work have to be randomly jammed into free time. Not eating lunch at your desk was tip number seven, and I think that we are up and active enough to not have to worry about it. The last tip I want to mention is the idea of keeping your desk clutter free. That’s interesting to me because I’m usually messy, especially when working on lots of projects, but recently, I’ve been keeping my desks clear. It reminds me of the Einstein quote: “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” I think that speaks truth, but now I’m a bit worried about my own practices.
This article is really interesting to me as someone who struggles greatly to work at home I find it interesting looking at some of the top techniques that they listed here and since they already align with things that I have tried to do at my home workplace. The most newest tips to me where the planning your day and cleaning up your desktop everyday. I am someone who tries to plan my week out every week at the beginning and then working from there I’d never thought about doing it the day before as I often see myself having to edit and change my schedule throughout the course of the week going back and forth depending on what happens as I do it. In terms of cleaning my desktop that’s definitely something that I know that I need to work on doing more often as I am constantly having to make space for things on my desk and finding papers from past things.
I’m always skeptical of productivity life hacks, as they seem to repeat the same, largely useless, information over and over again. But there was actually some good information in this article, and it was interesting to see what tips I had already inadvertently applied to my own life. In high school, I was always most productive either at my desk in my bedroom or at a coffee shop. It’s been a shift in college to find the places where I can be most productive, and when and what to do at each place. Just last night, I rearranged my desk space to face the window in my dorm, and I’ve already found that this makes my space more of a haven for me, and is more inviting to get work done at. One thing I’ve learned throughout high school (and by reading a lot of productivity-focused articles) is how to adapt tips and suggestions to my own life. At the end of the day, my workspace should serve me and help me to be more productive, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach for that.
The tip that stuck with me the most to make sure one's work area got plenty of natural light. As a freshman DP, I get most of my work done inside 33 because of my desk and my supplies, but 33 has, and pardon my French, really crap access to natural light. We have one high window that leaves the studio blue and hazy in the morning at best, which, for uncertain reasons, causes me a great deal of anxiety. My dorm room does not have good natural light either. My desk in my room is away from the windows, so I get virtually no natural light. This is why I like working on the second floor of Purnell, over the lobby area. There is light from the floor-to-ceiling window by the grand staircase, there is light from the skylights above the third floor, and there is light from the windows in the lobby. It's a good workplace despite all the tables being a bit wonky.
This article also helps with ways to do work and study at home. It does not only apply to people who work from home. The tips that were given are really helpful and even though I already do a bit of them adding the rest to the list can help me complete and do work well at home. The tip I found very interesting was the light tip, I like the dark and focus well in the dark interestingly enough. Once it is too bright or there is so much light, I lose focus and sometimes develop a migraine from trying to focus. I also found the tip about finding the times when you can do the most work to be helpful. Knowing how your mind works and how long your attention span is can help a lot when it comes to doing work. I also really enjoy listening to music while working or studying because it helps me focus and I don't really need a work playlist, as long as I can get into the music I can work.
This article laid out in great detail all the things I planned to do, but lacked the discipline to follow through with, when I was a freelancer. I had a desk space with a monitor, and I was generally able to set myself up to work there when I really had to get down to it. However, it was in my bedroom, and I was generally physically uncomfortable because I had a bad chair (and it was extremely cold in my bedroom), so I would inevitably gravitate back to my comfy, cozy bed, and eventually gravitate to doing things other than work. I could have set up temporary workspaces in the living room, but I lived with three roommates and a dog, and our living room was often busy and loud. If I am being honest, I think that there is a baseline income or life situation that you have to achieve in order to follow some of this advice. You have to be able to afford the kind of home that allows for that sort of workstation.
I don't think that this article had any groundbreaking tips or ideas within in it however I do think sometimes it's good to be reminded of how simple things can motivate you and assist you to do better more focused work. I know personally that at this point in the semester the workload is quite significant and I find myself constantly frustrated that I'm not able to do more focused efficient work. Of course this article was about working from home but a lot of the tips are general enough that they can apply to working within an office space as well. I think for me I have a hard time working at home because I spend so much of my time in the office that once I'm home I don't want to be working I just want to be,usually, sleeping when I get back from work. However I do think being able to work from home particularly on the weekends is really beneficial because it allows me to stay away from the office and the Purnell Center without completely stopping me of all sort of productivity. So I do think I'm going to try and integrate some of these suggestions into my workspace at home as well as in the office and hopefully benefit from them.
Post a Comment