Q:

Tweet

How can I be more productive at work?

Forget the motivational books and try some scientifically tested tricks.

Remember the paperless office? Forget it. Print important e-mails and reports. Research shows that people are less likely to understand material or find it interesting if they read it onscreen, compared with on paper. And a stack of paper serves as a reminder.

Hang a picture of your mother-in-law – or any authority figure – on the wall. Researchers found that when a picture of human eyes hung over a donation box in a coffee room, people were more likely to pay in full than when a picture of flowers hung on the wall. “You behave more cooperatively when you think you’re being watched,” says Melissa Bateson, lead study author. “A picture of a face in your office will absolutely have a positive effect on your work behaviour.”

Get a second computer monitor. Researchers at the University of Utah found that adding a second screen helps you complete tasks seven percent faster, makes you 10 percent more productive, and leaves you with 33 per cent fewer errors. And 80 per cent more likely to be beamed up to a corner office.