6 habits of eco-friendly, productive people.
Being environmentally friendly is so much easier to do at home, than it is in the corporate office. Once you have an idea, you’ve got to write a business case, cost it, present to management, propose a trial period, collect evidence of improvement, and then, after presenting your findings, you may get your idea implemented - maybe. That is a lot of work, we all wished we had the time for.
Having said that, we thought of putting together some of the habits we’ve adopted in our office that don’t require any approval and even improve our productivity and help keep us organized - these are just minor changes of habits which make a difference - as the saying goes ‘every great journey starts with a single step’.
Here are six easy habits you can change today:
The usual suspect - the printer
Still got quite a few piles of papers on your desk? Simply:
Think one more time before hitting that print button - can you print less copies? Or maybe print just some of the pages instead of the whole document?
Have you ticked the ‘duplex’ option to print on both sides?
Ditch the sticky notes
Switch to an App based To-Do list. These digital mobile based To-Do lists go with you everywhere, you can set location and time notifications reminding you to attend to one of the to-do items, and they can be shared with colleagues or friends, making them not only a more eco-friendly option, but a real upgrade to your productivity. There are many To-Do apps. Our favourites are Google Keep, Trello, and Todoist.
Toss the Pen
Need to sign a document? Instead of opting to the ‘Print-Sign-Scan’ ritual, try using a digital signature solution to cut out the middle man. Solutions such as Cute PDF and eSign Genie are free, and let you add your signature straight on to the PDF. Adding your signature directly on the PDF file and emailing it straight back will also save you valuable time!
Switch to e-statement bills
Most large billing companies like your bank, phone company and electricity provider, are now supporting e-statements. Switching over from ‘snail mail’ to ‘e-statements’ can normally be done via your online account, or calling their customer service. Once done, no more losing bills in the mail - all your bills will show up in your inbox, which would help you stay more organized.
Progress to digital Business Cards
Paper business cards are quickly becoming obsolete. Forgot your wallet? Ran out of cards? Changed your address since you last printed your cards? To make a great impression on your business associates and clients, you can take a step into the future by switching over to a digital business card. Not only will you stand out and make a great first impression, but the digital cards can be a great conversation starter topic for all of you whom networking doesn’t come natural to.
Simply download the Haystack app and start designing your perfect digital card. Once you’re happy with the result, you can share it with everyone - the recipient does not need a special app.
Bonus point
Found these habits useful and easy enough to implement? Share these ideas with your colleagues, and start a wave of a more eco-friendly workplace - one person at a time.