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DECEMBER 2015 •
PPB
• 57
Cubicles weren’t always the stodgy, impersonal boxes they
appear to be today. The three-walled work station was born
to be a much more fluid space—the Action Office. The orig-
inal open-plan office system, complete with an adjustable-
height desk and vertical filing system, was introduced in the
1960s but failed to take off.
The original intent of the Action Office—to offer work-
ers fluid workspaces that would promote productivity and
efficiency—seemed to be lost as companies sought a better
way to squeeze more workers into less space. The adjustable
desk was ditched, and modular furniture—including those
dreaded cubicle walls—became the go-to equipment for out-
fitting office spaces.
If an open-plan workspace is not in the cards for you,
try these techniques for improving productivity wherever
you work.
Make Your Cube More
Conducive To Productivity
Organize your desk to
optimize your workflow.
Create a simple system for
organizing tasks by immedi-
acy—either online or with
filing trays—and separate
your desk into two major
areas: computer work and
non-computer work.
Get a better chair.
A desk chair that supports
your back and can be
adjusted for height will
help you stay comfortable
during long periods at your
desk.
Get a second monitor.
Multiple monitors are a
favorite setup for multi-
taskers. For many, seeing
more at once enables them
to get more done, more
efficiently.
Stash items that aren’t
used every day.
Clutter happens. Remove
tools and resources that aren’t
used every day, and place
them in easy-to-reach or
well-catalogued locations so
you can still access them
quickly when you need them.
THE WATER COOLER