Our working environment can be inspirational; it can, if designed and executed well, increase levels of productivity but, hiding employees away in dark dingy rooms can be something that causes illness, physical and emotional, as well as affecting retention rates of staff.

However, offices across the globe are changing and there are some amazing examples of funky, inspirational and fun places to work (and the proof is in the pudding – once you realise the size of the business, you will be an instant convert. Right, where will you put the slide…?)

Facebook, California

You cannot deny the power of Facebook as a social media platform for both personal and business use. A great example of modern, open plan work spaces, Facebook constantly canvasses its staff as to what they would like in the office… and, the 1 billion+ users of the platform, along with development of software etc., is in no way impeded by staff having fun!

Vodafone, Portugal

At first glance, this architect designed building looks ‘ordinary’, much like how we think an office should look. However, on closer inspection and a rummage around the building, you will find the angular line offer unpredictability to the premises. Working in a clean, bright environment is something their employees love.

Skype, Stockholm

Bright and airy, there are not defined workspaces as such as this company wants their employees to talk to each other and be social – after all, that is what their application is all about. Now one of the most used internet based calling applications, people from across the world can not only talk in real time, but also see their companion – amazing when you consider that they are in another time zone.

Red Bull, London

With some obvious work equipment (the flip board, for example), the 100 or some employees who work here collaborate on a daily basis. They have lounge like working spaces but the work space is versatile; corporate functions are not a problem with the reception area turning in to a bar.

You Tube

Their office space has some amazing gimmicks and the like, where employees are encouraged to play, roam and exercise. Again, their results speak for themselves with YouTube being the original and dominant market player when it comes to uploading and sharing video.

Dreamhost, California

These online gaming business recognises that not everyone likes the idea of working in the open and so they have a mix of private work areas and open plan spaces. Making the best use of natural light, keeps the use of harsh fluorescent lights to a minimum and the addition of colour stops it feeling stark and empty.

Google, Zurich

Google is the fresh faced online search engine that anyone would want to work for and with this great slide taking you down a floor or two, who wouldn’t love to have a go?

Like other companies, Google spent a lot of time, effort, money and research in to creating work spaces in all its office complexes that nurtured employees, as well as helped their creativity along. Thriving on the creative visions of their employees, Google decided that this was not too high a price to pay hence you have one of the most successful and creative organisations of all times.

Macquarie Bank

Founded in 1969, this American based investment bank must surely have ripped up the corporate banking rule book that suggested they needed to be grey in colour, and officious in attitude and looks. Their mixed office of open plan and private spaces hits the mark, but it is the use of coloured glass, and the amazing red staircase that blows many people away when they enter this building. And being a large bank, spread over 6 floors, has not stopped them either, Successful in its dealings, this bank is going places…

LivingSocial, America

This is a prime example of how the modern can blend with the old and so the next time you look at your older style building and think that nothing can be done, think again. As a company, they rely on their employees being creative and happy and so, they have created a space that encourages play, just as much as work; take your lunch when you want and either play a game of pin ball, or catch up with the day time soaps…

Corus Quay, Canada

Big buildings and large staff numbers can often mean that some employees can work for the same company and never meet. Some companies think this is not conducive to good relations or good business and so this architect designed building, with 8 floors, houses 1100 staff. But, there are bright colourful places to meet and mingle.

Why should office space being boring and predictable?

Time is something that we never get back and, when we have 101 things to do and not enough hours in a day, it can seem an impossibility to get it all done.

Sometimes, we set the bar too high, meaning that we over-extend ourselves. Not reaching goals and hitting targets mean one thing: disappointment.

We can all work smarter, but sometimes we do need to know how to achieve more, in less time…

Tip 1: The ‘to do’ list
(the real one, not that massive list of things that need to be done in the best hour…)

You may be a perfectionist, with high values and priorities but you really do need to find some realism from somewhere and inject it in to the ‘to do’ list.  The morale of this story is this; by creating the longest, packed ‘to do’ list in the world, and setting a time limit by which to get it all done is committing ourselves to failure before we have lifted our head off the pillow in the morning. Damaging to both self-confidence and self-esteem, you need to be honest and focus on the right things… get it right, your confidence will soar and you will stop feeling that you have accomplished next-to-nothing and are an abject failure (again).

Take a look at your ‘to do’ list and, with different coloured pens, get marking;

• Split down tasks and assignments in to small component parts – instead of shopping, split this in to main shop at supermarket, trip to butchers, trip to natural health food shop etc. By doing this, you can tick off more items quickly, achieving a warm sense of accomplishment – you also then realise how much you do actually do in a day

• Which of those things on your list are prioritise and which are the ‘would be nice to do’ tasks… be honest!

• Go from every day to week ‘to do’ lists which has 3 overall must accomplish tasks in it. This way, you can flex your week to fit around the inevitable distractions and inevitable crisis every now and then (for example, the washing machine packing up on Tuesday and the children being sent home on Thursday with a rash/tummy ache etc.)

Tip 2: Time – boundaries and expectations

We have all been in the position where we have underestimated the amount of time it takes to get something done; from assuming it will take a few days, to finding that many weeks pass before the project is anywhere near completion.

Sometimes, projects and tasks stagnate because we do and so, rather than hammering at something because it is on your ‘to do’ list and there is a deadline looming, take control back of time and set some realistic boundaries and expectations.

Now, for some people, this next idea will be far too outlandish but give it a try and you may be surprised…

High octane projects (the ones that could make or break your reputation/business/project etc.) should be micro-managed in terms of time spent on them. The Pomodoro Technique suggests that 25 minutes is the optimum time for true productivity to happen.

And so, grab your kitchen timer, set 25 minutes and get on with whatever it is you are doing. Once the ring of the timer has half startled you to death, take a 5 minutes break, then repeat the process for another 3 cycles.

Once you have completed 4 cycles – (25 minutes x 4) + (5 minute breaks x 4) = 2 hours – you should be able to see just how much you have achieved. Compare this to what you would normally do in 2 hours and you can see a marked difference.

Shift your focus from the quantity you need to achieve and by when, to setting a time and working within this time constraint. The goal is the 25 minute deadline, not the quantity you can produce but by shifting this focus, you will find you complete more.

Tip 3: Stress vs. inspiration

In life, from school to college and beyond, we condition ourselves (and we are helped to do so) to produce work by hitting certain milestones. Having something to aim for is no bad thing BUT, when the deadline is looming and we feel we may not hit it, stress starts to play a part.

Stress is a great mind bender; it tells us things like, “you should have started sooner” and, “this is not your best work” and… you get the picture. We go for the full steam ahead approach like the Titanic and, just like the luxury liner, we can hit the hidden ice berg.

Stress can be a great driver, but you need to temper it with inspiration. You can only produce your best work when you have the balance, so take the time to take breaks. This physically relaxes your posture, stops the hunched aching shoulders and stops the emotional stress and its negative impact from building.

Getting more done in less time is about focus and being realistic; break down task to component parts, set mini deadlines and take breaks. And you will see results.