About your desk
If a messy desk symbolises a messy mind, what does an empty desk symbolise?
It’s a quip attributed to Einstein, though there’s no proof he said it.
It’s a favourite of mine because my father was (is!) notorious for having a messy desk.
Regardless, I believe the state of my physical deskspace has an impact on my psychology.
So, as simple as the tips that follow may seem, they might just help you like they do me.
Feeling overwhelmed? Clear your physical desk space....
How seating impacts decisions
Did you know where people sit can have an impact on whether they’ll agree with you?
If you want to improve the chances of consensus, arrange chairs in a circular formation.
If you instead want people to retain their independence, set the chairs in an angular formation.
The difference is how the environment cues decision-making.
According to 2017 research, in a circular formation, our need for belonging is cued, so we’re more likely to be consensus driven.
In an angular...
Typing vs. telling
Typing rather than talking changes behaviour.
Customers are more willing to buy, for example, when they type their search rather than use a voice assistant like Siri or Alexa.
When we type, we subconsciously associate it with taking action.
When we use a voice assistant, we instead associate it with gathering information and deliberating.
Unfortunately, customers are unlikely to tell you they decided to buy because they typed rather than talked. They can’t.
They won’t...
Portable habits
My number one tip, when people ask about habit change, is your physical environment. Set it up to make it easy to do the right thing and hard to do the wrong thing.
But there’s a problem with relying on your environment. What if it changes?
The perils of contextual cues
I was travelling recently but completely forgot to take my vitamins in the morning. Why? The context had changed.
The behaviour of taking my vitamins is tied to my breakfast routine at home, and it turns...
