Office Irritations May be the Key to Productivity

Love it or hate it (okay, it’s pretty clear we all hate this), working in an office comes with its fair share of irritations. Whether it’s that co-worker who always talks loudly to friends on his cell phone. Or that person who always comes in late (and the boss never seems to notice!). Being confined at minimum for 8 hours a day with colleagues is bound to raise your blood pressure from time to time.  But unless your office environment is truly toxic and abusive, it’s important not to let everyday office irritations get in the way of your productivity.

Take the Very Things You Hate Most and Turn Them Into Motivation

Take criticism for example — particularly of the sarcastic variety. Criticism can hurt. If it’s not phrased in a very nice way, it’s easy to focus solely on hating your colleague. But whether intentional or not, behind that petty comment there may actually be a useful thought. Especially if they’re reacting to the emotional tenor of your work. Instead of wasting energy on your colleague’s immaturity, funnel it instead towards reevaluating your work. Peel away those layers of meaning and analyzing at a deep level what you’ve done. Even if you don’t change a thing, this will prove a useful exercise.

Another common office irritation is a messy workspace. This can also be used as a procrastination tool, when you suddenly decide it’s time to neaten up rather than writing that expense report. But there is some research indicating that a messy office is actually good for productivity. Same goes for working in a noisier environment. Why? Because when you have to work harder to concentrate, you’re using more intellectual energy, which in turn spills over to other parts of your brain. Just like heat conducts from one material to another, activation in your brain spreads. There is of course a limit to how much mess and noise one can take, but if you’re using these two factors as a regular excuse for procrastination, you may want to reevaluate.

Interested in learning about more common office irritations that actually can be good for your productivity? We highly recommend reading this following article, 5 Workplace Irritations That Can Actually Boost Productivity.

What are your biggest office pet peeves? Have you ever used them to boost your productivity? Let us know in the blog comments.