8 ways sticky notes can boost productivity

August 25

Time handling, project management, collaborative communication and optimised workflows are all terms of common office lingo today that seem daunting or complex. Not handled well, they can indeed become overwhelming concepts. However, the humble Post-It Note (or sticky note) can go a long way towards streamlining the processes and in turn, sending your productivity levels sky-rocketing.

Sticky notes are something which have been lying around on desktops for donkeys’ years. They’re not a revolutionary office supplies product by any stretch of the imagination but in this blog post, we want to show you how your sticky note supply has the potential to maximise productivity.

1. Making your to-so lists and timelines more tactile

Lots of us live both our personal and professional lives by to-do lists but this can be a little mundane if it just involves compiling lists in the back of a notebook or on scraps of paper. Revolutionise your to-do lists by colour coding tasks with different sticky notes and moving them around your timeline of priorities depending on the evolution of your workflow. This strategy is sometimes known as the ‘mapping technique’.

2. Keeping your working environment clutter-free

As the saying goes, a tidy desk makes for a tidy mind so keeping your workspace clutter free is an important part of staying productive. Sticky notes can help when it comes to organising your wires and wrapping around cables to keep spaghetti junction at bay.

3. More efficient communication between colleagues

A few years ago, the Sam Houston State University in Texas released a body of research which proved that people respond positively to sticky notes. The study was called Post-It Note Persuasion: A sticky Influence and was published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.

To form the results, professors at the university were split into three groups. Each group was presented with a survey that they were asked to complete and return, but the request was altered for each group.

Group 1: Presented the survey with a sticky note attached asking them to complete and return it.

Group 2: Presented the survey request with a handwritten cover letter (no sticky note)

Group 3: Presented the survey for competition with a typed cover letter (no sticky note or handwritten message)

The results:
Only 36% of Group 3 returned the survey and 48% of Group 2 but 76% of Group 1 (those who got the attached sticky note) completed and returned the survey. What’s more, Group 2 took more than 5 days to respond, while those in Group 1 took an average of only 4 days to return the completed survey.

The research also demonstrated that those surveys with a personalised sticky note attached (69%) saw a better return than those with a blank sticky note (43%), or no sticky note at all (34%).

4. Non-digital reminders you can’t ignore

It’s pretty hard to ignore a neon piece of paper stuck to your desk, notebook or screen – harder than it is to swipe away a digital notification anyway. So, if you’ve got something particularly important to remember, stick a Post-It in your eyeline to prompt your memory.

5. Facilitating those who prefer analogue work

We might live and work in a world where virtually everything has gone digital but not everybody likes to work that way. Some people prefer to complete some tasks without technology, using more hands-on methods. Sticky notes are a great way to support this kind of kinetic, analogue approach. Facilitating both digital and analogue work is a great way to get the most out of today’s diverse workforce.

6. Interactive idea-sharing and collaboration

Being able to pick up sticky notes and move them around a desktop or a wall is a great way to make your collaboration and brainstorming sessions more engaging. It makes idea-sharing more active and stimulates the creative process.

Click for more on how you can master the art of sticky note collaboration.

7. File organisation and page markers

A simple but effective way to boost productivity using Post-Its is to use them as dividers in folders full of paperwork or pages in books containing information you want to access more quickly and easily. To make this way of using sticky notes more sustainable, tear them into smaller strips so as to make the block stretch further.

8. Daily affirmations and motivational messages

Some people think it’s all a whole load of stuff and nonsense but starting the day by reading a positive quote or motivational message can help set your intentions for the day. Scribble down something that will have a good impact on your mental wellbeing and motivation and stick it in sight if this kind of thing is something you believe in.

Penketh’s Loves… Post-It Notes

Find out why our Purchasing Ledger, Karen couldn’t live without her stack of sticky notes in our latest Penketh’s Loves… blog post

You can order your sticky notes online but if you’d prefer to speak to one our Customer Service team, just get in touch.

Share this article