Daydreaming? Ignoring emails? Staring at pictures of puppies?

They may sound like a recipe for disaster at work – but they can boost your performance.

Over the years, we’ve been programmed to equate success with working relentlessly at breakneck speed. In reality? High performance comes from working smarter, not harder.

So, before you automatically discount these unusual productivity hacks, hear us out:

Daydream

Conventional wisdom dictates that you must stay “focused” and “on-task” to be productive. But recent research has shown that occasionally allowing yourself to zone out, goof off and daydream can actually boost performance.

Daydreaming engages the brain, freeing your mind from “tunnel vision” that prevents you from fully accessing your memory and tapping into your creativity. And research shows that brief mental vacations provide a needed boost your focus, attention and productivity. Want to learn more? Check out this earlier post we published on the value of daydreaming.

Take a “Cuteness Break”

Looking at pictures of adorable baby animals may sound like a complete waste of time, but a study conducted at Japan’s Hiroshima University found that this simple practice can help your mind to focus better. In fact, the effect is so dramatic that this increased ability to focus lingers even after you move on to less “adorable” activities.

Ignore Your Email

Email is an essential communication tool, but incessant notifications can really interrupt your thinking and derail your productivity. Instead of dropping everything the instant an email arrives, process it in batches at pre-determined intervals throughout the day. And if quick response is critical for certain people, setup alerts for those senders – so you’re only interrupted when you must be.

Get into a “Vegetative” State

Plants and other types of greenery provide a micro-restorative burst according to psychologists Steve and Rachel Kaplan’s (University of Michigan) “attention restoration theory.” The pair has shown how the presence of plants increases our ability to recall greater quantities of information. Plants also enhance productivity. A study cited in this Entrepreneur.com article concluded that an office ornamented with plants can increase employee productivity by 15 percent.

Eat Frogs First

The metaphorical kind, mind you. When you have something tough or unpleasant to do, tackle it first. The logic makes sense: When you reach one of your toughest goals in the morning, it creates momentum, a positive mindset and more time to do things that excite and inspire you.

These unconventional ideas can be great productivity boosters, but sometimes they’re just not enough to help you accomplish everything you need to do. If you could use an extra hand, Exact Staff is ready to lend one!

As a leading national employment agency, we provide a range of staffing and placement services to save time. Increase focus. Eliminate busywork. And relieve administrative burdens. Give us a call to find out what we can do for you.