Hacking into Joy: How Our Community Members Boost Productivity
We’ve all been through a lot in the last year. With the month of May being Mental Health Awareness month, Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club member, Asha Morton, wanted to know how community members hack into joy and boost their productivity. So, with adult beverages, chocolates, and Shine in All Shades coloring books (sponsored by Afro-Latina graphic designer, Valeria Rodriguez) in tow, we set up at the Centergy One building lobby for our Hacking Into Joy Cocktail Talk to offer a post-work respite for the startup entrepreneurs, corporate innovators, and researchers in the building.
“I wanted to get an understanding of how the community is managing everyday stress following the pandemic,” shared activation host, Asha Morton. “I believe that in this post-pandemic world, it is vital that we understand what de-stressing and ‘feeling good’ looks like to our colleagues. Knowing this will help us all be more mindful of everyone’s well-being, which I think is important.”
A majority (53 percent) of the members who joined us for cocktails and conversation mentioned that music or ambient sound was their top productivity and mood-boosting hack. “I like putting on a movie on Netflix in the background while I’m working,” said TSQATL Social Club member, Nupur Mathur, who is a Georgia Tech Mechanical Engineering student. Starting the day with exercise before getting to work came in second. Some mentioned that taking walks and working outdoors with the skies above them helps mitigate screen fatigue and breaks through creative blocks. A handful mentioned that interacting with other people helped boost their mood when they’re in a funk, which brings up the feeling of isolation we’ve all experienced (and are recovering from) during a year full of uncertainty.
And as the wine was poured and discussions continued on, we overheard members not recalling the last time they colored a page out of a coloring book just for fun. “For this community activation, I wanted to offer members a creative outlet for stress relief,” explained Asha. “Coloring gives people something ‘lighter’ to focus on after long periods of study or work, which can be intense on the mind.”
Coloring books aside, it was an afternoon filled with delightful conversing and catching up. For some, it had been months since they had been back at the office. “Everyone just seemed genuinely happy to be there,” Asha observed. “Tech Square community members come from many different backgrounds, and it felt great to create an opportunity for everyone to connect during this time. It was cool to find out that a lot of us like to listen to music to get ready to work, boost our mood, and our productivity. We all found something in common.”
Did You Know?
According to this study published by the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, coloring a complex geometric design showed a decrease in anxiety levels for the students. The study by Knox College researchers suggest that the practice created a meditative state that is beneficial for reducing anxiety.
What tools do you use to boost your mood and productivity? Like our members, do you also listen to binaural or instrumental beats? Let us know what playlists and tools you use in the comments below.