Let’s look at some fun facts about work productivity!
If you’re reading this because you’re:
- procrastinating,
- designing a “working hard is fun!” themed poster,
- or doing a busywork school assignment,
let us know in a comment! We’ve got some bets running. Okay, let’s get into the 11 funnest facts I have about work productivity.
1. Pomodoro is Italian for “tomato”
The Pomodoro technique was invented by a guy named Francesco Cirillo in the late 20th century, which you probably already know!
What you might not know is that “pomodoro” is Italian for “tomato.” Francesco named it this because he used a kitchen timer that was shaped like a tomato to time his work sprints.
Get your own tomato timer here for ~full authenticity~ in your Pomodoro sprints.
2. Color psychology can affect mood
A widely studied phenomenon is the use of color psychology for environmental influence.
Famously, Baker-Miller pink (or Drunk Tank pink) is used to calm aggressive behavior. This color was applied in prisons and was shown to lower hostile behavior, and even lower the heart rates of people in the room.*
How to use colors for productivity
Similar studies to the one cited above show that colors in your workplace impact you in different ways. While results can vary, here are the results to the best of our knowledge:
Blue: intellect
Blue is known to stimulate the mind, so it might be a good choice for an office!
Yellow: creativity
Yellow inspires creativity, which makes sense for how often we see it in classrooms and art studios.
Red: energy
Red is energizing, so it’s great for physical work like exercise. Painting your gym room in reds and oranges might give you a boost during workouts.
Green: balance
Green creates a calm, balanced environment, as do many earth tones. If you are choosing paint for a room where you will spend many hours, a green is a good choice!
You can take these color tricks into account when selecting paint and decor.
3. Plants boost productivity
Along with the color green, actual greenery around your work area has been shown to improve productivity and mood, so bring in a pothos or a vase of flowers to enhance your work vibe.
This also means that working outside can give you a productive boost. But it could give you too big of a boost and you’d end up throwing a frisbee instead of reading that report–which, undeniably a cooler thing to do anyway.
4. Background noise balance
I think noise gets a bad rap when we’re talking about productivity. Studies on the effects of ambient noise suggest that a certain level of noise enhances creativity, focus, and productivity!
It has to be a balance, though, as too loud or too quiet of an environment can be distracting and unsettling.
The alleged perfect background noise level is around 70 decibels, sometimes referred to as the “coffee shop level”.
So if you’ve never tried it, throw on a non-lyrical playlist or a sound machine to see how it affects your work. Lofi, rain sounds, and white noise are popular choices for Work Ambiance.
5. Four-day work week superiority
Many studies show that a four-day work week, without lowering pay, increased productivity and satisfaction in workers without reducing the company’s output.
While there have been tons of studies to support this idea, this experiment in particular was conducted in Iceland over the span of five years with around 1% of the country’s workforce. That’s a huge sample size over a long span of time, and their results were similar to everyone else’s:
A four-day work week increased productivity, improved well-being, and reduced stress and burnout among workers, with no loss in company output.
A four-day work week could dramatically change people’s lives for the better without harming businesses.
6. Breaks improve focus
We often talk about the importance of rest on productivity (and every other aspect of your life) here on Not Harder dot com, but let’s say it again!
Regular breaks are shown to improve focus and performance, increase productivity, and reduce stress.
If you sit at your desk and pound away all day with varying qualities of focus, you’re damaging both your productive output and your health. It’s MUCH more effective to have a focused amount of time to focus on your task, then a set time for a break, like with the Pomodoro method.
If Pomodoro doesn’t work for you, that’s okay! It doesn’t work particularly well for me either. I found a better balance for my work style and attention span is to do an hour of deep work, then take a half hour break to rest and accomplish tasks away from my computer.
7. Workplace temperature affects productivity
We have reliable data to show that the temperature of your workplace affects your productivity! Like this study by Cornell that links warmer environments to fewer errors and increased output.
Here are what most studies on the subject have concluded:
- Too cold workplace: Leads to distraction, discomfort, increased errors, and reduced productivity.
- Too hot workplace: Decreases cognitive function, increases fatigue, and lowers work efficiency.
- Optimal Range: Around 68-77°F (20-25°C) is generally considered the ideal range for both comfort and productivity.
And of course this can vary from person to person–just make sure you feel comfortable in your working environment to optimize for productivity and happiness.
8. 3 hours is the true workday
A study by the Draugiem Group showed that the most productive of the observed employees did 52 minutes of work followed by a 17-minute break, making their actual work hours 6 instead of 8.
A UK study showed the average office worker is only doing productive tasks for under three hours per day, spending the rest of the time on activities like chatting with colleagues and refilling their coffee mug.
A Stanford study found that productivity per hour declines sharply after a certain threshold, specifically after 50 hours per week. Those who worked 55+ hours a week produced nothing of significant value in the extra hours worked.
Takeaways:
- The concept of a 3-hour workday is supported by the idea that people are most productive during short, focused work periods, rather than throughout a typical 8-hour workday.
- Rest and recovery are crucial components of productivity. Short bursts of focus (like the 52-minute work period) separated by breaks tend to maximize worker productivity.
- Working long hours often leads to diminishing returns, while concentrated, focused work for around 3-4 hours per day seems to provide the highest levels of productivity.
So demand a 3-hour work day and 4-day work week from your bosses or GENERAL STRIKE NOW! Or just be sure you’re taking regular breaks, I guess.
9. Tuesdays are the most productive day of the week
Many polls and studies show that Tuesdays are the most productive day of the work week. Why is that? Well, here’s the usual breakdown of an average US/UK employee work week.
Monday: People usually spend Mondays organizing their week, attending meetings, and catching up after the weekend, so it’s more of a preparation day (or hangover day).
Tuesday: By Tuesday, employees are in the flow with fewer distractions and more energy to focus on tasks, making it the peak day for productivity.
Wednesday: Productivity tends to decline after Tuesday, as fatigue sets in, and workers begin to anticipate the weekend. So…maybe a four-day work week is also too long and we’d all be thriving with a three-dayer. Not to get too crazy over here.
Thursday: Thursday is baby Friday. Thirsty Thursday is often enough to put this work day in the can for many Americans. Thursday never stood a chance.
Friday: Need I say anything?
10. We put more effort toward less important tasks
As a general rule, people expend more effort on less important tasks, giving less time to more critical and impactful work. It’s the 80/20 principle. We put 80% of our work into 20% of our output, and vice versa.
Fixing this requires an intentional survey and reimagining of your workload. Click through to the article linked above to learn how to do this for your own work day.
11. Walking with a stick improves learning and problem-solving
This is a strategy known as Nordic Walking, where you take a walk with a walking stick while thinking on something you’ve just learned, or mulling over a problem. The brain function to coordinate walking with your legs and moving the stick is shown to improve cognitive processing and memory.
This is another Gemini-has-an-opinion moment, but I imagine the effects of watching the stick move as you walk can emulate the therapeutic practice of EMDR, helping you process not only thoughts, but emotions, too!
I’m not a doctor, but they don’t understand how EMDR works either, so we’re pretty much on equal ground here. I am a doctor…
Next time you’ve got something to figure out, take a walk with a stick and see if it helps!
Fun facts can be tips, too! Try to utilize color psychology, plants, background noise, and breaks to improve your focus. Remember that working less usually means accomplishing more–-three hours a day is a “full-time work day,” and the four-day work week shows more productivity than a five. If you control your own schedule, keep those things in mind!
*While the initial tests seemed promising, some studies found that prolonged exposure to Baker-Miller pink can actually INCREASE agitation and stress over time. A popular theory is that the effects of calming may have come from initial novelty rather than the color itself. My own theory is that prison is a stressful place to be, perhaps?
