Everybody knows how important an active lifestyle is for the wellness, strength, and resilience of our bodies. What about the impact of exercise on our brains, though? Can physical movement enhance mental health and cognitive performance? What’s a good alternative if you don’t particularly like going to the gym? In this month’s installment of The Productivity Box, we’ll make the case for dancing.
When you think about creating the optimal work environment, does the quality of sound in your workplace ever come to mind? This might not seem as influential to productivity as some other ergonomic features, such as the comfort of your desk or the amount of light in your space. But as it turns out, the sounds you listen to (or are exposed to as background noise) can have a major impact on your overall performance. In this edition of The Productivity Box, we’ll talk about that connection—plus, how to use sound to your advantage on the job.
If you’ve spent any amount of time in the workforce, chances are, you’ve already been exposed to the multitasking myth. Juggling with more things at a time on the job leads to success, while monotasking is for losers. Such a culture tends to glorify those who manage to tackle a dozen projects all at once. You know, the hustlers who have their coffee in one hand, their smartphone in the other, an overwhelming slew of tabs open on their computer screen, and notifications buzzing every few minutes. But myths get busted sometimes and now it’s one of those times!
Have you noticed that working in the midst of chaos and clutter makes it hard to perform at your best? That’s because the brain craves order. When you’re organized, it’s easier to think clearly, process information, and focus on the task at hand. Yet, the mind is also prone to chaotic, jumbled thoughts that cause you to ruminate in a continuous inner loop. When you’re in this pattern of overthinking, it can feel almost impossible to concentrate on anything else. That’s where the brain dump strategy comes in.
Mental health and anxiety have become a consistent topic of conversation at work. Many business leaders now recognize the need to prioritize psychological and emotional wellness. However, there are some employees who think their companies have not done enough to create a positive culture where mental health is taken seriously. Looking beyond this debate, what truly matters at the end of the day is awareness and action. Because mental health influences both our personal and professional lives.
Engagement isn’t just another workplace buzzword. It is critical to the success of your business. Reaching high levels is crucial to both team nurture and maintenance because team engagement influences the productivity metrics of each individual member and the organization as a whole.
If the stress of these last couple of years has thrown your sleeping habits out of whack, you’re not alone. Research published in The Lancet Neurology Journal found that sleep disturbance and insomnia rates have increased all over the world since the start of this global pandemic.
You may have heard that classic expression, laughter is the best medicine. As cliché as it might sound, it’s actually the truth. In past iterations of The Productivity Box we’ve talked about how mental health and stress management have an impact on your job performance. In this month’s edition, let’s turn the lens on laughter and examine how this positive emotional release can make you more productive, whether you work from home or in an office.
Mindfulness has found its way into mainstream culture, but does it have a place in the business world? Research points to a connection between mindfulness and optimal work performance, specifically the practice of meditation.
Change is the new normal and we’ve all had to manage major shifts in our lives since the beginning of 2020. The larger and more impactful the change, the more of a paralyzing effect it can have on resilience, flexibility, decisive action, and productivity. However, change is necessary in the workplace. While major transformation can feel unbearable to manage sometimes, some smaller, consistent changes are easier to handle and can lead to major impact.
