Open-space offices are great, they are very useful when it comes to teamwork and can help in improving communication between co-workers. However, it can also be very challenging to concentrate inside a busy, open-layout office. Noise and distractions can have a negative effect on employees’ productivity. I personally work in a very busy open-space office, and it often becomes very hard to focus on my work among all the on-going conversations and phone calls.
But there are a few tricks to overcome the office noise. Here’s what I do to deal with all the office distractions around me and to improve my concentration:
According to research from Cambridge Sound Management, when it comes to decreased productivity, noise isn’t to blame. It’s how comprehensible the words are that might force us to shift our focus in what we’re doing and listen carefully to the words and their meanings. Therefore, you should try listening to songs without lyrics. Classical music has been scientifically proven to help in improving concentration and calming the nerves. For me, I can only focus with acoustic music.
When working on a task that requires a lot of concentration from you, don’t let anything or anyone interrupt you. Close your social media tabs, silence your phone, and maybe take a break from checking your email too frequently. If a colleague comes to your desk or cubicle and asks for your help or just to chat, don’t be shy to say: “I’m sorry, but I’m currently working on an important task and I’ll get back to you as soon as I’m done.” This might help you in decreasing distractions and improving concentration at work. It is totally fine to set these boundaries and communicate, respectfully, that you are busy.
Shift tasks around and organize your work according to the general noise level in the office throughout the day. For example, our office gets the loudest between 1:00Pm and 2:00PM, therefore I shift all my important tasks that need concentration (like writing this blog post!) until 2:00PM or after. Otherwise, I do them in the very early morning. You can do the same. Try to schedule the tasks that need concentrations when your office is quiet, or when there are fewer people around. It could be early in the morning or later in the evening or whenever works best for you.
These might look strange, but they could be really helpful in blocking out unwanted noise or listening to unnecessary conversations between your colleagues in the office. Get yourself a pair of ear plugs or noise-cancelling headphones and enjoy the peace.
Sometimes, I personally borrow any laptop on our floor and get myself in an empty meeting room or any available office when I need to focus and concentrate. You can try doing the same thing using any quite space you can find at your company to get the task done, then move back to your desk.
If you’re feeling that the noise level is really affecting your productivity negatively and that you can no longer work properly, then try talking to your employer, manager, or supervisor. Explain how the noise is affecting your work and ask them if it would be alright to work from home so you could finish your urgent tasks. Managers are usually very understanding and care about your comfort, because it’s in their best interest for you to be as productive as possible. Working from home can be a great alternative to a noisy office.
Do you have your own tricks to improve concentration in a busy office? Let us know by commenting below!
