It seems like open space work environments are popping up all over the place! While there are certainly advantages to a collaborative workspace, increased distractions can sometimes lead to a decline in productivity. Here are a few tips that we’ve found helpful as we work with our clients in open spaces:

Set Your Desk Up for Success

Make sure your space is organized and all of your supplies have a home. For more tips about organizing your small desk, check out our past blog post here.

Volume Control

This goes for phones, candy wrappers, and individual voices. An open space certainly doesn’t have to be as quiet as a library, but try to be aware of the noises you’re creating and how they’re affecting the people around you.

Do Not Disturb Sign

If you’re frequently interrupted by coworkers, consider creating a friendly “do not disturb” sign for your desk that informs coworkers when you’re “in the zone” and need to get things done.

What’s that smell?

We all have our favorite foods, but let’s be honest, some are pretty smelly. Think twice before eating something at your desk. You never know who might have an aversion to the smell.

Be Prepared

Think ahead and try to anticipate when you might need to reserve a conference room for a private meeting or phone call. Don’t forget to end your meetings on time and clean the room when you’re finished!

Golden Rule

Treat your desk neighbor as you would like to be treated.

What are some of your favorite tips for working in a open work environment?

For those busy professionals who constantly work on-the-go, we recommend a scanner app called JotNot. We love this app because users can easily convert their paper documents into a digital format by taking pictures of each page. It is a great and affordable option for a portable scanner.

Why we recommend it:

• It can batch scan multiple pages into a single document
• You can adjust the file size and resolution
• You can save your document almost anywhere, including Dropbox, Evernote, etc
• It only costs $0.99 in the iTunes store

What do you think of JotNot? Let us know in the comments below!

If you are starting to feel envious of all the companies that find their documents with the click of a button while you have to sift through your piles of paper, it may be time to convince your team to go digital. The thought of converting all that paper may be frightening to some people, whether its because they fear something will get lost in the process or just because of the sheer amount of paper that must be scanned in. If you are ready to go paperless but have some uneasy coworkers that aren’t as ready, here are a few things that may help convince them:

1. File Structure

Make sure you have a clear file naming convention and folder structure for documents that are scanned and saved electronically. Your staff will be more likely to go paperless if they know they can file and retrieve electronic documents quickly and easily.

2. Training

Schedule a training session on digital organization to prevent digital clutter from accumulating. Without the proper training, workers may end up accidentally duplicating, deleting, or moving documents.

3. Transition Date

Pick a transition date of when you want to go paperless and stick to it. Plan ahead so your team knows what changes are coming and how to use the new technology.

4. Tablets

Make tablets available. It’s a pricey option, but having tablets readily available will help streamline the process of going paperless.

Schedule a digital organization training session with us to get the process of going paperless started!

Each A is worth 6 points, each B is worth 4 points, and each C is worth 2 points.

8-12 points: Overwhelmed On-The-Go

Whoops, looks like you may need some mobile productivity help! You may not have access to documents from anywhere outside the office, and you spend your time waiting doing mindless activities that may be fun but aren’t so productive. Don’t worry, we can help you get your devices in sync and give you tips on staying productive when you only have a few minutes. Follow our Blog for help throughout the year and consider calling us for a free 15-minute phone consultation with one of our productivity consultants

13-18 points: Promising Professional

You are doing pretty well with your mobile productivity, but there are a few areas that could use improvement. With a few tips and tricks you’ll be well on your way to being a mobile productivity rockstar! Follow our Blog for mobile productivity tips throughout the year, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for quick daily tips.

19-24 points: Mobile Master

Congratulations! It looks like you know exactly how to stay productive when you are away from the office! You can access and edit documents while you are waiting, your email and calendar are perfectly in sync across devices and you make the most of the time between appointments. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional tips that will keep you organized and productive!

Register for out upcoming webinar on Wednesday, September 25th, Mobile Professionals: 12 Quick Tips for Professionals On-The-Go for additional mobile productivity tips!

We’re excited to share a new app that we’ve discovered called Venmo, which makes peer-to-peer payments extremely easy with just a couple simple steps. It allows you to choose a friend through their phone number, email, or even through their Facebook profile, then securely pay them with Venmo’s bank-grade security system. Here’s more about the app and why we love it:

Our favorite parts of the app:

• You can “charge” someone or you can “pay” someone with just a few clicks
• Email and text notifications make completing transactions easy
• If you use your “Venmo Balance”, a bank transfer, or a debit card then you won’t have any fee transaction

Ideas for using Venmo:

• Splitting the bill at dinner
• Reimbursing your friend/family member for something
• Sharing cab rides

Do you use Venmo and have anything to say about it? Let us know in the comments below!