Be More Productive In an Open Work Space. Our recent post about the challenges that introverts face in the modern workplace--particularly, the trend toward open plan work spaces--garnered some interesting feedback and a few questions from readers.
One reader talked about the challenges he faces in his office, which features an open "bullpen" of desks for sales personnel, including executives. "As a self-admitted introvert," he said, "I find the area extremely fun and energetic, though very, very unproductive. The Key to Great Office Design. The Essential Elements of a Commercial Lease. 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing an Office Space. Choosing office space can be very challenging because your decision will have so many repercussions for your business.
The wrong location, for example, could cost you employees or clients. What's more, you have to base your choice on your company's future needs, not just your current situation. 37signals: Web-based collaboration apps for small business. The Best Cheap Plants for Improving Indoor Air Quality. Wise Bread Picks I don't have much of a green thumb.
In fact, I've managed to kill every house plant I've ever owned — even things as basic as cactus and bamboo. But it's not for lack of trying. We currently have four plants in our home, all still living (or eking by) after owning them for the past year. However, I imagine that sometime soon I will again have to invest in another plant. Because my house seems to be a plant death trap, it's necessary that I buy plants that are on the cheaper side. Plants That Improve Air Quality: The Research There are two great sources to learn about plants that improve indoor air quality: The NASA Clear Air Study (PDF), and a TED talk by Kamal Meattle entitled "How to Grow Fresh Air.
" Seattle's New Bullitt Center May Be the Greenest Office Building Ever. The new Bullitt Center, currently under construction in Seattle, combines virtually every possible green building technique.
The six-story building is entirely powered by solar panels, putting to rest any doubts that solar power only works in sunny climates. It's heated naturally through geothermal wells. And all of the water used in the building comes from something Seattle has no shortage of: rainwater. It's the first office building in the United States to use only harvested rainwater. A cistern holding up to 56,000 gallons of rainwater will be able to supply water throughout a 100-day drought.
The building's also made from the most sustainable building materials on the market. HowAboutWe Office Tour. Five Best Computer Monitors. This is why the monitor cost so much: 1- Color processor with Look Up table. 2- Non eIPS panel. eIPS are low end IPS panels.
While eIPS panels are better than the great majority of TN panels, they suck compare to the higher end IPS panels, like P-IPS and H-IPS, to name a few. 3- True 8-bit per channel (red, green and blue) panels. eIPS and TN panels are ALL 6-bit panels. They use something called advance frame rate control, which basically works by displaying a color that it can't product, by picking 2 colors it produce, and switch between them the fastest it can, in the vein hope to trick your eyes in seeing the correct color.
Five Best Desktop Keyboards. Huh - you lead with a photo of a BBC Micro keyboard and don't even mention it in the article?
What gives? What's with people not reading the small print? "The Hive Five is based on reader nominations. As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it's not because we hate it—it's because it didn't get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five" Oh yeah. They say it like four times all over the article. "This week we're going to look at five of the best keyboards, based on your nominations. " " Well, we asked for them, and close to 600 nominations later, you told us what you thought. " "Remember, the top five are based on your most popular nominations from the call for contenders thread from earlier in the week. " Five Best VPN Service Providers. Five Best Office Chairs. The O.C.D. Experience Workspace. I suffer from OCD every day of my life and it effects the people in my life on a continual basis.
The difference is I am no longer a victim. I have taken something that consumed, me, haunted me and distracted me and created order in my life from it. Now I help other people create the same order and discipline through organizational systems through my company Organize & Create Discipline, part of the O.C.D. 10+ tips for designing classrooms, hospitals and offices that are kind on ears, from Julian Treasure. Architects design with their eyes rather than their ears — which means that spaces generally look great and sound terrible.
At TEDGlobal 2012 University, sound consultant Julian Treasure warned that — even though we’re rarely conscious of sound — terrible acoustics can have very negative effects on our well-being.