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5 Ways to Maximize Office Productivity this Summer

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boost office productivity in summer

Don’t Let the Nice Weather Ruin Your Workplace Performance

“Summertime and the living’s easy…” A little too easy I’d say. While the temperature outside is rising, productivity is declining. Did you know that workplace productivity drops by 20% during the summer? Furthermore, attendance is down 19%, and employees are 45% more distracted! This might not come as a surprise to some of you. I mean, are there any among us who wouldn’t rather be outside enjoying the nice weather rather than indoors working?

So, what can you do to help reduce the Summer productivity slump and make the most of Summer?

1. Switch up your Routine

Sometimes the summer productivity slump is just the result of too much structure. Switching up your routine, even a little bit, can improve your attitude and productivity. For example, get up a little earlier and go for a walk before work or ride your bike to work if possible. Get some outside time before heading in to the office.

2. Make up for lost time

One of the biggest productivity killers in the Summer is leaving early. As great as it is to get a jumpstart on your weekend, you also need to keep in mind that people are depending on you to do your job first. If you know you’re going to be leaving a little early, be sure to come in early or stay later the previous night.

It might not even be a bad idea to consider a four-day work week schedule during the Summer season. Working four ten-hour days with Fridays off can boost company morale more than anything!

3. Take a Vacation

You can’t do your work if you’re busy daydreaming about the beach. One of the best things to do for your productivity is to take a vacation. Whether you go anywhere or not, some time off will allow you to come back, refreshed, ready to dig in and do some work! Plus, in the weeks leading up to your vacation, you’ll be more willing to put in the extra effort now, knowing that you will be taking some time off.

A week or two before your planned vacation, make a list of everything you need to get done before you leave. This will keep you motivated to push through up to the very end!

4. Get Out

 

Take your breaks outside. Go for a walk, have a picnic lunch, sit outside at your favorite lunch spot. Enjoy the fresh air and reset before heading back into the office.

5. Take your Work Outside

If the beautiful weather is just too much temptation to handle, don’t be afraid to take your work outside! Got a meeting planned? Go outside and grab a picnic table. Allowing yourself some much-needed rays can do wonders for your productivity.

By following any of these five tips, you can be sure that your office productivity and morale is kept at an all time high this summer! From all of us at Workspace Solutions, we hope you have a great summer!

Caution: Your Job Could Be Harmful to Your Butt

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dormant butt syndrome

By now you’ve heard of sitting disease, the ill-effects of an overly sedentary lifestyle. Now, there’s another condition affecting office workers and other sedentary people – Dormant Butt Syndrome. Yes, it is a real condition! No, we’re not making it up.

Despite the funny name, Dormant Butt Syndrome is a serious condition that could be the cause of your back pain, knee pain, or hip pain.

What is Dormant Butt Syndrome

Dormant Butt Syndrome (DBS) is a condition caused by sitting for extended periods of time. Most Americans have a job that includes sitting most of the day in an office chair. Add to that the time spent driving to and from work and even more time sitting to watch TV, play games, lounge, or read, and that’s almost a whole day of sitting on your butt. In total, the average American sits about 13 hours a day. It’s no wonder our butts now have their own condition.

Dr. Chris Kolba of Ohio State coined the phrase Dormant Butt Syndrome (also known as Dead Butt Syndrome). It’s the physical deterioration of the gluteal muscle due to sitting for prolonged periods of time. Remember the saying, “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it?” Well, that’s what’s happening to our gluteal muscles. They’re deteriorating due to lack of use. And although that doesn’t sound like much of an issue, it can lead to some serious pain!

Fort Wayne Chiropractor, Dr. Richard Busch says, “Our clinic treats people every day who suffer from pain for one reason or another. An increasing number of our patients have sedentary lifestyles which are causing them a great amount of joint pain. Sitting for extended periods of time can cause the muscles in the butt to break down. If your gluteal muscles are weak, it can put additional strain on other joints resulting in knee pain, back pain, or hip pain.”

“In addition to joint pain, prolonged inactivity can also lead to a number of other chronic health conditions including diabetes and heart disease,” adds Dr. Davis, Chiropractor in The Villages® community.

How to Prevent Dormant Butt Syndrome

Most of us can’t just quit our jobs in lieu of a more active position. So what can you do to prevent DBS and other chronic health conditions while working? Simple, get off your butt!

  1. Get active. Take short breaks every hour to walk around and do a few exercises to strengthen your glutes such as lunges or squats. (You’ll not only help prevent Dormant Butt Syndrome, but your butt will look great in your favorite jeans!)
  2. Get up. Stand while talking on the phone or to your co-workers.
  3. Sit-to-Stand. Adjustable sit-to-stand desks are a great way to combat inactivity by letting you easily go from a seated position to a standing working position. There are even new seats that work great with standing-height desks to help take pressure off your joints.
  4. Get out. Instead of eating at your desk, go for a walk at lunch. The fresh air and exercise will do you some good too!

There you have it… 4 easy ways to help your butt, back, knees, and hips and to combat Dormant Butt Syndrome. Are you standing yet?

Introducing Focal Upright Furniture

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Seats for Standing-Height Desks

focal upright seats

As we mentioned in our last article, many Americans today are suffering from “Sitting Disease” due to a highly sedentary lifestyle. Striving to become more active on the job, many workers have tried sitting on exercise balls, using treadmill desks, and standing-height desks.

“Standing-height desks are great,” says Mike Hunter of Workspace Solutions. Because sitting all day is bad for your health while standing all day is hard on your joints. Adjustible standing-height desks allow you to easily go from sitting to standing. But, some users still need a little extra support.” The solution? Focal Upright Furniture which gives workers a third option that balances the active benefits of standing with the comfort of sitting.

Focal Upright Furniture is a seat of sorts that is designed to work with standing-height desks. However, you don’t sit on the seat, you lean on it which takes pressure off of your joints and has many health benefits including:

  • improved posture
  • promotes neutral neck position
  • takes stress off the spine
  • engages the core
  • promotes active leg movement

focal upright seats - problem solution

There are four models to choose from.

standing height office chairs

Visit the Workspace Solutions office furniture store in Fort Wayne to try them out for yourself and see which one works best for you.

 

Do You Suffer From Sitting Disease

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sitting disease and your health

Is Your Desk Job Bad For Your Health?

If you are like most Americans, you are likely suffering from a disease you maybe didn’t even know existed. What experts now call “sitting disease”. This disease afflicts many people who work in traditional work environments where many hours are spent seated at a desk or in front of a computer.

How many hours do you spend each day sitting at work? Add on the hours you spend driving, eating meals, using technology, or watching TV. The Mayo Clinic says that 50-70% of Americans spend 6 or more hours every day just sitting down!

Sitting Disease and Your Health

“ A highly sedentary lifestyle can wreak havoc on your system and has serious negative effects on our health,” states Dr. Busch of Busch Chiropractic in Fort Wayne. Sitting for extended periods puts extra stress on your spine and increases your risk for back injuries. In order to stay healthy, our joints, muscles, and other tissues need to move. Over time, reduced activity can not only limit your range of motion and cause back problems but contributes to many health issues and significantly shorten your lifespan.”

These health risks include:

  • increased risk of chronic back and neck pain
  • a proclivity for herniated discs
  • shorter life expectancy
  • increased risk for Type 2 diabetes
  • increased risk for heart disease and some cancers

Reduce the Risks of Sitting Disease

How can you ward off the dangerous risks of sitting disease? Fortunately, even a moderate increase in physical activity is proven to effectively fight these health risks.

Moving more:

  • burns more calories
  • reduces body fat
  • improves circulation
  • strengthens muscles
  • increases insulin sensitivity
  • improves mood
  • reduces load on spine

How to Increase Activity at Work

Here are some tips from Dr. Busch to use at the office (or home, as well) to keep sitting disease and its health risks at bay:

  • walk while you are talking on the phone
  • set a timer to remind yourself to get up at least once an hour
  • use a pedometer or Fitbit to track (and increase) your daily number of steps
  • take the stairs, instead of the elevator, up one floor or down two
  • every time you cross something off your to-do list, stand up for a stretching break
  • don’t sit for one-on-one meetings — have a walking meeting around the block or around the building
  • park further away from your office building, the restaurants you go to for lunch, the grocery store, etc.

Sit-to-Stand Desks:

You may also consider a standing-height desk or a “sit-to-stand” adjustable desk. Researchers say that the almost undetectable muscle movement that occurs while standing is as good as, or better, for our bodies than bouts of exercise between long periods of being sedentary. Studies show that people who stand while working move around more and get the important health benefits needed to combat sitting disease.

The positive effects of becoming more active can be profound. According to a Stanford University study, workers who used sit-to-stand desks were 78% more likely to report a pain-free day.

Visit the Workspace Solutions office furniture campus in Fort Wayne to talk to our furniture experts to learn more about healthier ways to work and avoid the dreaded sitting disease!

Ash Skyline Plaza

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Ash Skyline Plaza Office Furniture

It’s furniture moving day! After months of work on the Ash Skyline Plaza in Fort Wayne, the day is finally here that we start moving in office furniture. We’re out at the new building unloading trucks full of office furniture. We will be installing furniture for Ash Brokerage on the 7th and 8th floor. We’re very excited to be a part of this project that’s been months in the making. Check back to see the progress on the building and the creative use of furniture and office spaces.

Used Office Furniture Update

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Used Office Furniture Fort Wayne

Workspace Solutions carries a wide variety of used office furniture including used desks, office chairs, workstations/cubicles, filing cabinets, and more. Not only can you save up to 50% or more buying used, we can deliver and install new or used office furniture as well.

Check out some of the newest additions to our used inventory.

Our inventory of used furniture is constantly changing so keep checking back or visit our office furniture store in Fort Wayne at 2208 Production Road to see our current selection. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, contact us and let us know what you need, we may just have it!

Office Spring Cleaning Tips [Checklist]

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office spring cleaning tips

Spring cleaning is good for more than just the house and the garage — take this task to the workplace to refresh the office and rejuvenate staff for the new season! Here’s a suggested plan of action.

Allocate a particular day for everyone to chip in. Make it fun with casual dress and carry-in donuts or pizzas. Provide cleaning supplies (like disinfecting wipes and dusting cloths) and extra trash and recycling bins.

Individual Workspaces:

Computer:

  • compressed air dusters clean keyboard and computer vents
  • disinfect the keyboard and mouse
  • wipe down the monitor
  • organize computer cords and cables

Desk & Furniture:

  • organize desk and properly file papers
  • dust and disinfect all surfaces
  • throw away useless writing utensils and broken office supplies
  • return borrowed items to the proper owners

Office-Wide:

  • empty and clean the fridge
  • clean the microwave, toaster, coffee maker, etc.
  • archive or purge old files — shredding any documents containing sensitive information
  • purge old electronic files, following the company’s document retention policies
  • get rid of old or broken computers. Be sure to remove hard-drives and send them to a hard-drive destruction company to have them destroyed.

Our friends at Federal Records Management and Shredding remind us that when performing an office clean out to be sure to properly dispose of all documents and files. Make sure all employees know your document destruction policy to avoid complications.

Get ready for spring and summer with a revitalized workplace — and if you find need new and better office furnishing options, visit the Workspace Solutions showrooms to see the latest in new and use office furniture and more!

5 Office Design and Furniture Trends for 2016

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office furniture and design trends 2016

Today’s workplaces need to do more making it mandatory that office furniture and space design continues to evolve. Big influences on both are the ways we communicate, the ways we work, and the role that technology plays in both of these. There’s also a demand for more “lifestyle” feel to offices and a continued emphasis on an office space being “green”. With that in mind, here are 5 of the top office design trends on our radar:

collaboration furniture

  1. Encouraging collaboration
    The move away from traditional individual offices toward open spaces continues. The best use of the open spaces is to have furnishings that can be converted to serve multiple purposes and inspire different types of collaboration.office cubicles and workstations
  2. Respecting privacy
    While an open, collaborative work environment can encourage teamwork and creativity, sometimes privacy is needed. Office furniture designers are coming up with creative ways to make furnishings and accessories easily transform to create more private workspaces when needed.office furniture
  3. “Lifestyle” enhancements
    Amenities like outdoor spaces or in-office coffee lounges are on the rise. The goal is to make the workspace an enjoyable place to spend time and to encourage cross-team conversations and collaboration. Many manufacturers are making outdoor furnishings and lounge-type seating that are laptop-friendly to encourage workers to sit and stay awhile.office technology
  4. Technology
    A well-functioning office must have the infrastructure to support the bandwidth and telecommunication needs of the staff. Effective office design also calls for well-planned access points and a layout to support future technology needs. Desks and work areas are being designed to make it ever easier for workers to “plug in” (and just easily “unplug” and work from somewhere else).environmentally friendly office furniture
  5. Environmentally-friendly
    Energy efficiency and sustainability are expected features for many office spaces. Office furniture companies like Allsteel, Global, and Gunlocke have an environmental commitment to sustainable business practices including the production of furniture that is longer lasting with an efficient use of resources. Some companies and organizations go even further and promote their earth-friendliness to define their identity and attract talent. They make sure that not only are their spaces and furnishings constructed in earth-friendly ways (such as LEED certified construction), they also offer perks such as bike storage or public transportation vouchers for their employees.

The emphasis for office furnishings and space design in 2016 is flexibility and responsiveness to each workspace’s particular needs. Want to bring your office into the modern age? Visit the Workspace Solutions showroom and speak to our seasoned furniture and design professionals — we help our clients work smarter!

To Have or Not Have an Office Romance – Pros and Cons

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pros and cons of dating a coworker

The Pros and Cons of an Office Romance

Considering dating a co-worker? OK, nothing takes the romance out of a situation faster than making a list of plusses and minuses, but the potential perils of dating a co-worker suggest it’s worth seriously weighing the pros and cons. An office romance can quickly get way more complicated than other romantic entanglements.

Here are some considerations (add or subtract the specifics of your own situation, of course):

PROS:

  • You already have a lot in common (work, for one thing!)
  • You probably already have a good sense of each other’s intelligence, ability to handle stress, and sense of humor.
  • You understand the pressures and demands of each other’s work-lives.
  • Romance makes time spent at work more bearable (enjoyable, even!)

CONS:

  • If it doesn’t work out, you have to see or even work with each other every day, day in, day out.
  • One of you may be promoted while the other is passed over — how would you feel
    about that?
  • You will both become the subject of office gossip — no matter how well you try to keep it secret, it will get out eventually.
  • It could effect your job performance — longer lunches together are temptations, but also your ability to collaborate effectively or judge the other person’s work fairly may be compromised.
  • If one of the parties supervises the other, there are bound to be allegations of favoritism from colleagues.

It’s a situation that can only be assessed knowing all the specifics of that situation, workplace, and the individual. We all know happy couples who met at work. And we all know horror stories and unhappy couples. Just go into it with your eyes wide open. Another caveat: if it does go beyond a fling, be open with your supervisor or HR at a reasonable time so everyone understands possible impacts and potential professional ramifications.

Document Shredding Protects Your Business and Clients

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paper shredding

Why Shred?

Workspace Solutions specializes in office filing cabinets and storage solutions for your business’s on-site document and records. Many of our customers — for example, medical facilities, doctors offices, financial, and legal businesses — must comply with federal regulations to protect consumer privacy and identity information. Many other businesses deal with documents containing proprietary, confidential, or other information that could put your company, your employees, and your clients at risk of identity theft or worse.

So, what do you do with documents and papers you no longer need? John Hanley with the  Fort Wayne shredding company, Federal Records Management and Shredding says, “Don’t just throw it away, shred it! Throwing confidential documents into the trash or recycling bin puts business, clients or patients, and employees at risk. Complete document destruction — shredding by a certified information destruction firm — is the only way to make sure that sensitive information won’t fall into the wrong hands and protects your business from unauthorized access to documents.”

While we at Workspace Solutions are experts at office design and are happy to consult on all of your document storage needs; for your own protection, we urge you to understand government regulations on information destruction and privacy that pertain to your particular business. Protect your clients, patients, and company by destroying appropriate documents in a guaranteed and secure manner. Workspace Solutions is here to help you work smarter — and safer!