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Every office harbors inefficiencies — fax machines that don't work properly, files disorganized or missing, high-traffic areas that make productive work impossible. But the number of businesses that simply adapt to poor setups, rather than eliminating them, is surprising.

Look around your office for these common office-productivity drains, and follow these eight tips to address them.

Outdated technology

Computers, printers, software and other technology that have outlived their usefulness can quickly eat into productivity. For example, a graphic designer who works on an underpowered PC may have to wait 20-30 seconds each time an image loads or is saved. Employees who access the Internet with slow dial-up connections face similar problems when Web pages can't be loaded or, worse, crash their PCs.

How do you know your technology is dated? As a general rule, if your computer can't run the latest version of a key program, it is probably time for an upgrade. Your investment in new equipment may quickly be recouped in increased workflow.

Poorly designed workspace

Spend a few days monitoring work patterns to highlight inefficiencies built into the way you work. For instance, you might move to another room anytime you need to lay out papers because you lack enough desktop room. Or maybe you type up notes after finishing a conference call because your phone is too far away from your computer, preventing you from taking notes during the call.


Fixing these kinds of productivity saps is often a matter of reorganizing physical workspace. It may be as simple as transferring books away from a countertop or getting a phone extension cord.

Inefficient filing...