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[Brad Blackman]

If you

[Patrick Rhone]

Not only am I amazed at how much a change of environment can increase productivity, those I have coached mention so as well. I actually suggest it to those who, like me, work out of their home office. It is amazing how even just going to a different part of the house can turn on the "focus switch".

[Eric Beavers]

I've found a productivity boost in different environments, and those changes may be subtle or drastic with a significant change in productivity. For instance, carrying your laptop away from your desk and sitting on the couch in the den or the swing on the back porch can have marked results. Also, going out to the place from the public library to a coffee shop can all spark a remarkable difference in productivity.

At least that's what I've observed.

[Luther]

I completely agree in the productivity boost from a change in environment.  As a bit of a digital nomad myself, I find cafes okay, hotels great (especially if they have a good wine list or specialty gin martinis) and even just taking my Moleskine and MBP to the poolside at home a change.  It makes me think of the classic productivity experiment that Mayo did that resulted in the Hawthorne Effect () when they raised the lights, everyone worked more and much later when they dimmed the lights, the same thing happened.  Effectively, a change is as good as a vacation (or a raise, or a new Moleskine or (fill in your own blank here).

[Brad Blackman]

Luther, I haven't heard of the study you're talking about. Can you share more?

[Luther]

Brad,  sure, it is one of those first year MBA studies in short-lived productivity effects.  Google it or read about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_effect for a good background.  The crux of it is that no matter the trivial change, there is a positive effect on productivity.   I harness it to good effect by changing the hanging art in my office every once in a while (I use a bunch of square wooden frames from ikea and staple gun funky material around it...see picture) But I would suggest that in any case a change is as good as a vacation.

[technotheory]

To be clear, my understanding of the Hawthorne effect, to which Luther referenced, is very different.  Yes, the workers grew more productive with each environment change.  But, that was supposedly because they were being monitored and NOT because there was an environment change.

So, a better way to apply the Hawthorne effect is NOT to change environments, but to...
* use tools like TimeSnapper or RescueTime or keep a time log (as you'll be tracking your progress...observing yourself)
* sit with someone next to you who is working hard and thus you feel like you are in some ways being judged (i.e., coworking or working in a productive work environment of someone else's, etc)
* participate in a study about workplace productivity!

That being said, I am a huge fan of changing environments.  I think it's too easy at home to get distracted and sometimes I need focus...and someone else to take care of meals and such (i.e., restaurants, etc).  This summer I'll be working in an office, and much of the time I cowork to get the shared accountability.

I just don't want one to think that ANY change in environment is a positive one.  That's not what the Hawthorne effect proved (though it's a fairly contentious study to begin with, so it's hard to know how accurate it was).

[SteveC]

To be clear, my understanding of the Hawthorne effect, to which Luther referenced, is very different.  Yes, the workers grew more productive with each environment change.  But, that was supposedly because they were being monitored and NOT because there was an environment change.

This is one of the big bugbears of all systematic productivity schemes.  We use CMMI at work and that mandates, at the highest levels, that you only change process if you can measure the improvement and that the best way to do this is to pilot a change, see if there is an improvement, then, if appropriate, roll it out across the organisation.  So we have a situation where a keen good group of engineers who know they are the pilot try something and, surprise surprise, there is an improvement.  So we roll the change out across the whole organisation.  No one seems to think of trying it on the project that's got low morale, disaffected engineers and so on...

Steve

[James Mallinson]

I don't know about productive in the sense that I'm more efficient, but if I go on holiday I am so much more focused. My home is terrible for working in because there are so many distractions. I find that in a hotel room I can sit there and spew out pages and pages of writing without feeling like doing something else. Maybe it's being away from the day-to-day grind or simply because there are simply less distractions around me.