I bought a standing desk for my office, and as I write this article, it is my first day using it. It has been an interesting day, deciding how long to stand or sit, and working out what is best for my productivity. This new desk was purchased primarily for health reasons: sitting for long periods as I do has contributed to my back condition and I decided some drastic measures needed to be put in place.
Aside from the obvious difference of standing to work rather than sitting (and being able to pull out a few dance moves while I wait for a file to load), I have noticed some other differences. In order to accommodate my new desk, I needed to relocate my primary working desk to a new position in my office. After seven years of sitting in the same space, I am now right next to a window and facing a different wall. You’re probably reading that and thinking “Big deal!”. But I am amazed at how different my work day feels just by those small changes. Coupled with a clean and tidy office (it had been a while since my last big clean up!), I am feeling very productive.
Which makes me realise what simple things we can all do to create positive change in our businesses. I think sometimes we can get stuck in a rut, knowing things need to change, but feeling that ‘change’ is just too big a task to tackle.
But what if really small things could make a difference to how you work? It can be useful to choose just one seemingly minor thing to implement and see what impact that can have. If you work from home and need to work on something requiring creative thinking, try working out of your office for a few hours. If you find yourself with dwindling energy at the same time every day, go for a 15 min walk (preferably with some trees and nature nearby).
In general, be cognisant that little things that can make a big difference to your mental and physical energy and therefore productivity. And now I think it’s time to switch to sitting for a while…
Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender
