What an Exam Room Can Teach You About Productivity

Pencil and sharpener on an open notebook

We’ve all taken exams, be they in grammar school, high school, college, university, or for professional licenses or certifications.

While you might have been super-focused on doing well in your exams, there’s something important you can learn from your time sitting in an examination room.

And no, it doesn’t have to do with facts, figures, calculations, essays, or anything of the sort!

In this post, I provide some interesting observations when it comes to what an exam room can teach you about being productive.

The Secret Weapon of the Examination Room: Focus

When I was in school, my teachers, instructors, or professors would sound a familiar warning.

You probably heard something like this too, right before your exams:

“It’s time to clear off your desk, pack up your things, and get ready for your exam.”

Obviously, the main goal in having my classmates and I clear our desks before our exams is so we didn’t have any materials lying out in the open that might allow us to cheat.

After all, the object of the exam was to test our knowledge or mastery of a certain subject.

If we put aside cheating for the time being, there are actually several practical reasons as to why having a clear space can make you more focused, and productive:

 

You won’t be distracted.

It’s just the exam, a pencil or pen, and you. That’s not much to distract you from the task at hand. Having items sitting on, next to, behind, or nearby your desk can distract you from what you’re doing.

 

You can work freely.

Not having items in your way makes the task of taking an exam so much easier. Just imagine what it would be like to take an exam on a desk littered with pens, pencils, markers, and sticky notes. A bit unwieldy, no?

 

You can play it safe.

What’s the point in trying to be productive if you’re going to hurt yourself or others in the process? Having your personal belongings neatly packed, and stored away from aisles and entrances/exits just makes sense. In case of an emergency, everyone can leave the room easily, and safely.

 

You can streamline your day.

Remember that joyous feeling when you finished an exam, picked up your things, and left the examination room? You didn’t fumble with your belongings or waste any more of your time in the examination room. Your things were packed and ready to go.

 

Okay, I’ve talked a lot about school exams. How can revisiting an examination room help you in your life today and help you get things done with less fuss? Don’t worry, there won’t be an exam or quiz on this!

Basically, the points I’m trying to make are that in any examination room 1) you are focused on one thing (taking the exam), and 2) you are working on a clear desk, table, or workspace.

So, if we take this simple formula and translate it to our daily lives just imagine what we would be able to do on any given day. Picture all of your attention, focus, and knowledge, funneled directly into what you were doing, at any given point in time. Now, that would make for some incredible productivity levels!

All we have to do now, is focus your attention by clearing off a flat surface you currently aren’t using to the fullest.

Here’s some things to think about:

1) Think about a flat surface that makes you frustrated or annoyed when you try to work on, near, or around it. You’re unable to get your work done because you are distracted, unfocused, and hampered by stuff.

 

2) What flat spaces in your home or office could you potentially clean off, declutter, or reorganize, so that you have room in which to work or perform tasks with laser sharp focus?

 

Feeling a bit stumped? Here’s some areas in your home and office to get you started:

  • Office desk or workspace
  • Bedroom nightstand
  • Living room coffee table
  • Kitchen counter
  • Kitchen table
  • Dining room table
  • Bathroom counter
  • Dashboard of your car

Who knew an examination room could provide such valuable feedback when it comes to being more productive?

 

How about you? What flat space seems to give you the most trouble? Where are you going to clean/declutter/reorganize in your home or office so you can be more productive as you work or go about your day? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!

5 Unexpected Things You Need to Organize a Work Notebook Mockup
About the Author

Rashelle

Rashelle Isip is a New York City-based productivity consultant who helps successful entrepreneurs and business owners manage their time and energy so they can reduce stress, work less, and make more money in their businesses. She has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, NBC News, The Washington Post, NPR, and The Atlantic. Get her free guide, 5 Unexpected Things You Need to Organize a Work Notebook, by clicking here.

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