Autumn: Productivity Meet Coziness

The leaves are turning orange and the walk to your car in the mornings is starting to get a bit chilly. While many of us consider the the time right after New Year's to be the "reset" to routine, there's no reason not to change with the seasons. Office life is year-round, after all, but there is no reason not to get a bit cozier in the workplace. If you're about to tackle those autumn challenges, it's a great idea to add some warmth to your office vibe. Here are some essentials that will help you stay productive when the sun starts setting earlier. 

Bundle Up

Gone are the days of agreement when summer scorch meant everyone wanted chilly AC. It's not quite cold enough to so settle for heat, so you've got to tackle the in-between. Whether you're working from home or commuting to the office, a throw blanket  or jacket on hand is a must-have. Go for something to. keep you warm, but not so snuggly you find yourself napping after lunch when the mid-afternoon slump hits. 

Creative Caffeine Choices

Speaking of mid-afternoon slump, our bodies work on circadian rhythm. When the sun begins to set a little lower in the day, it's normal to feel your productivity dip. The best way to counteract that (aside from getting a routine 8 hours) is a caffeine boost. Coffee is the classic choice, but there's a hundred alternatives out there for when you can't spare the time to head to the break room or your kitchen to make a cup. The caffeine energy bar market had over a $644 million value last year and as more companies create products it is bound to expand. For reference, the average espresso has about 60mg of caffeine and the cup of coffee has about 90mg. Brands like AWAKE make bite sized chocolates that come in a variety of flavors, all with 50mg to give you a mini boost. If need a more substantial snack, VERB makes energy bars with a 110mg and they even do seasonal-featured flavors (s'mores, blueberry crips, chocolate chip banana bread... the list goes on). There's no reason to limit yourself to a black cup of coffee when the world holds all these hyper inventions. 

Lighting

As the days get shorter, bright overhead lights can feel harsh. Swap out your regular lighting for something softer, like a warm-toned desk lamp or even some string lights. It’ll create an autumnal ambiance, perfect for focus and creativity. Most electronics have a similar approach in their systems - the warm tone lighting. Lately we've heard all of this information about "blue light" and the effectiveness when it comes to staying alert. So during the afternoon it's great, but when those evening hours hit and you're still on the clock -- switch to something softer.

The Settling Effect

The gorgeous outside and the cozy setting can lead to what is known as the "settling effect", which is pretty much the human version of a bear getting ready for hibernation. It can mean two things: one one hand, workers are comfortable in their setting without worry for extreme temperatures or distractions, which can positively affect productivity; on the other hand, the autumn palette and vibrant outdoors actually boosts creativity. These two combining factors make Autumn the most productive time of the year for many workplaces. A weekend full of activities (hello, pumpkin patch!) gives you something to look forward to, so work is more prioritized during office hours. There's a push to accomplish things before winter comes. Renewal doesn't have to come after the new year, start now!