Pavlov and the Workspace

Remember Pavlov and his dogs? Well, here’s a little refresher. Every day at feeding time, the dogs would hear a bell, smell meat, and salivate. After only a few repetitions, the dogs began to salivate in response to the bell alone, without the presence of meat. The dogs had become conditioned and were now associating the sound of the bell with their food.

Believe it or not, this same sort of conditioning happens to all of us in our daily lives. Repetitive actions lead your brain to associate certain activities with the environment in which they happen. If, every day after school, you sit at the same desk to do your homework, your brain will begin to associate studying with the desk. We all know how hard it can be to shift into study mode, especially after a long day. So, make it easier on yourself by designating a workspace that you can use regularly.

But, where?

Not in a place that your brain already associates with another activity. Separation is the key to maximizing productivity. Trying to get work done in your bed, for example, is never a good idea. Your brain automatically switches into sleep mode when you get into bed, which explains why you might doze off while reading here. On the flip side, if you are somehow able to overcome your tiredness and condition yourself to work in bed, you are likely to run into some trouble falling asleep as your brain now links the bed with being mentally active. Likewise, your brain associates the kitchen and dining area with food and eating. You’ll find that getting work done in these areas can also be tough. Don’t be surprised if your focus is interrupted by hunger. Alas, snacking is a fabulous way to procrastinate and a detriment to your productivity. Conclusion: your workspace, be it an entire room or merely a desk, should be reserved solely for homework, studying, or other such activities that require a high level of concentration.

A few more tips to creating a more productive workspace…

Make sure it’s well-lit. Your brain interprets light as an indication that it should be awake and active. Setting up your workspace near a window is great because you can take advantage of the natural light and fresh air (and, we all know how much the brain loves oxygen!).

Get rid of clutter. A tutor once said: “An organized desk equals an organized brain.” So true! Remove any items that don’t relate to what you’re currently working on. This will help you stay focused and on track.

Minimize distractions. Be sure to face away from any movement that might catch your eye (e.g. people walking by or the television screen). Also, log out of your email account and silence all rings, beeps, and buzzes (just temporarily!). These brief interruptions can add up quickly and really impede productivity.

Now that you know how to set up your ideal workspace, you’re ready to hit the books and scan through those notes from SAT tutoring!