How To Use The Hawthorne Effect To Increase Your Productivity

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There’s a fine line between being micromanaged and overly surveilled and being monitored enough that you get good work done. That line is actually called the Hawthorne Effect, and it’s a phenomenon in which people are more productive when they feel they’re being observed.

If you’ve ever noticed you push yourself a little more when you’re working out in a full gym or group fitness class than when you’re working out alone, you already get the concept, but it can be applied to all kinds of scenarios to make you more productive—even if you’re not actually being observed.

This phenomenon is said to have been discovered during some research conducted at the Hawthorne Western Electric Plant, though there’s some debate on whether that’s true. What isn’t up for debate is the behavior trend itself: When someone is participating in an experiment, they may tend to work a little harder than normal, knowing they’re being watched. Even outside of experiments, an awareness of being observed or monitored can spur a little productivity boost….Story continues….