6 Habits To Green The Way You Work

Are you as tired as I am of being told to make sure you turn off your computer, use recycled paper and bring your own coffee cup? Not that these aren't worthwhile things to do to make your office or home workspace more eco-friendly; they are, and do them. Planet Green even has an entire guide on how to do this, How to Go Green: At Work. But what I want to talk about is something that isn't about changing your workspace, it's about changing you: Picking up habits that can save you time and energy (yours and the kind that comes in over high-tension wires), and ultimately make you a greener worker.

When You're Brushing Your Teeth, Brush Your Teeth

Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh once said, commenting on the idea of being present in all activities you undertake, something to the effect of, "When you're brushing your teeth, brush your teeth." While I may not be ascribing that quote entirely correctly, the idea remains valid, and is a good one to improve your efficiency at work.

While we all pride ourselves on being able to multitask, working on eighteen different assignments at once, one habit that is truly worth cultivating is that of being able to focus on the one project you have at hand and not be distracted by others in that moment. No working on one thing, chatting on Facebook in another web browser tab, checking the latest Twitter posts in another. Focus on one task at a time, give yourself to it, and you will be able to get more done with less mental and physical expenditure...and, as a result, probably a bit less electrical expenditure.

Now I'm not saying to stop multitasking completely: Everyone at Planet Green and TreeHugger is juggling multiple projects on a daily basis. But if you increase you ability to concentrate at the task at hand it has the potential to green your work in meaningful ways.

Set Your Email to Check Only Every 30 Minutes or Hour

Going along with that first habit change is one which has really helped me get more done in a given period of time while sitting at the computer: Set your email program to check for new mail every 30 or 60 minutes. While for some jobs that may be too infrequently, most people probably don't need to have the mental distraction of new mail coming in every 5 or 10 minutes.

So why should you care about this one? OK, you're not going to save any more electricity by doing this, but what you will save is expending mental energy on tasks that, in all likelihood, don't need your immediate attention. Wait until you have a suitable break in the one task on which you?re focusing, and then assess the new mail and change your immediate priorities if required.

The green angle on this: If you're feeling scattered and distracted you are naturally going to be less productive, take longer (and use more energy) to do a task. Granted everyone tolerance for distraction and ability to focus is different, but if you feel you could use a productivity boost, try adopting this habit.

Bring Your Own Mug

Planet Green has plenty of posts on the reasons why it's more ecologically sustainable to bring your own mug or glass to work or to the coffee shop: Cutting down on non-biodegradable plastic waste being the primary one. Well, the reason I want you to bring your own mug to work has nothing to do with waste reduction, as important as this is.

I want you to bring your own mug to work for two reasons: 1) To create a better sense of place for yourself at work, and 2) to reduce to a minimum or eliminate your consumption of sugary beverages from the office vending machine. The former will again increase the ease you feel doing your job, likely increasing personal productivity and ultimately decreasing energy usage. The latter is important because refined sugar plays havoc with your health in the long term and only leads to energy crashes in the short term.

Need an energy boost at work? Do some pushups, some sun salutations, or whatever stretches you prefer. Getting up from the desk and getting active, even if only for a few minutes is much better for you and the planet than sucking down a sugary drink.

Go Outside For Lunch

This one is connected to bringing your own mug to work. You need a break during the day; don't we all? While I may not always practice this one myself, the virtues of getting out of the office, out of the work mindset, away from email, is vital during the day for maintaining energy levels, reconnecting with (gasp) fresh air and natural light, and ensuring a fresh mind.

Even if you bring your own lunch to work, and even if your lunchtime saunter takes you no farther than a nearby picnic table, bench or patch of grass, don't underestimate the value of getting out of the office for improving the time you have in the office.

Telecommute If Possible

More easily suggested than done for some jobs, the environmental benefits of telecommuting, even if only a day or two a week are genuine. The biggest benefit is saving energy from traveling to work: By one estimate, in the United States telecommuting just two days a week would save 9.7 billion gallons of fuel, and $38.2 billion a year.

OK, so that's a ringer in my list of habits. It's not one which you can implement all on your own, but to convince your boss it'll be worth both your while, check out these further: green benefits of telecommuting.

Buy Some Plants

Want to create a better sense of place in the office, and counteract potentially bad lighting, hung ceilings and maybe stale air? Put some plants on your desk. Not only will the greenery give you a natural respite, it will improve the air quality a bit as well.

Numerous studies have shown that common houseplants such as philodendrons, chrysanthemums, gerbera daisies, areca palm and mother-in-law's tongue offer genuine air quality improvements.

And they will likely help you feel more relaxed, productive and able to focus. All things which will help you improve personal productivity as work, saving your own and the building's energy.