What Annoys You at Work Can Actually Boost Productivity

You can get so angry on some days with all the distractions at your office. Your fellow employees are too loud or you don't like the sarcastic tone of your coworker. Jacklyn Smith of Forbes reports that Tom Gimbel, president and chief executive of LaSalle Network, a Chicago-based staffing firm, thinks these annoyances actually may be good for you. He says they provoke different facets of your brain, subsequently igniting a flame far quicker than if they weren't present.

"If you're in a quiet space, you're not using your brain at its maximum intellectual capacity," Gimbel explains in reference to why he believes noisy environments work best. "But when tossed into a venue with noise...your brain is being challenged at an entirely new level." 

He also writes that receiving sarcastic criticism from a manager or client can also be a good thing for you. When “you have to peel back the layers of the satirical remarks, your brain is forced to analyze and interpret different possible meanings behind the comments, hence increasing ingenuity and problem-solving skills," Gimbel explains.

What are other annoying things at the office that may actually be good for your brain? The same silly song that a fellow employee keeps humming over and over again. Think of it as white background noise or something that can make you more relaxed. Popcorn in the microwave may smell, but it is also a powerful olfactory stimulant to get the brain recharged.

[Forbes]

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