Just some clever ideas to help you finish more projects and getting to those stacks of paper on your desk, that I like to call ‘dear friend procrastination.’

Dear Boss: I am working outside today to be more productive.

Can’t see around the slew of papers at your desk? Before you clear your work zone, consider this: It may be helping you think more clearly. According to recent German research, clutter helps people focus. The study—which tested how efficiently people completed tasks like categorizing items in both messy and clean environments—found that chaos helped people simplify the tasks at hand.

Four more strange things that boost productivity? Picture a new kind of office filled with televisions, music, and gum . . . Continue reading →