16 science-backed ways to be more successful at work in 2016

1. The best time to take a coffee break may be mid-morning. As the day goes on, your energy and concentration decrease, so it's harder to restore those resources through a break. For maximum productivity, research suggests you should duck out of the office mid-morning instead of mid-afternoon. Read more about the research here.2. A messy desk could make you more productive. When we're faced with physical chaos, researchers say we try to create order on some level by pursuing clear, well-defined goals. As long as your coworkers don't object, consider keeping your workspace in slight disarray. Read more about the research here. 3. Turn off your phone — just hearing it vibrate could make you less productive. In a study, people's performance on a cognitive task was significantly worse when their phone buzzed or rang than when it stayed silent. Keep your phone off or hidden while you're trying to stay focused. Read more about the research here. 4. Chopping up tasks into smaller pieces can help prevent procrastination. Sometimes we're afraid to start tasks because they seem so big and intimidating. That's why you should deconstruct them — you'll enjoy ticking small individual items off your to-do list, and before you know it, you'll have completed the whole project. Read more about the research here. 5. Using a treadmill desk can make you less productive. In a study, people were worse typists and had a harder time remembering words and numbers if they were walking on a treadmill than if they were sitting in chairs. It might be better to get up from your desk and take a walk a few times a day. Read more about the research here.6. Multitasking over long periods may make you happier. Multitasking over short periods of time, however, can make you less happy. If you need to do lots of different tasks in the course of an hour, researchers suggest mentally bucketing them in one category, such as work-related or helping towards getting a promotion. Read more about the research here. 7. You may be most creative when you're mentally exhausted. That's possibly because you've drained your inhibition — or the brain's capacity to filter out unnecessary information from consciousness — so you're more open to new and unconventional ideas. Consider coming home from work and brainstorming suggestions for an upcoming project instead of vegging out in front of the TV. Read more about the research here. 8. Stay humble. Leaders who underestimate their own competence are generally considered the most effective. That's likely because these leaders are always striving to be better. On the other hand, leaders who overestimate their own competence were rated the least effective by superiors, peers, and subordinates in a study. Read more about the research here. 9. Keep learning like you did when you first started. Research suggests young people may be better managers than their older counterparts, perhaps because they are more likely to welcome novelty, be receptive to feedback, and set stretch goals. Read more about the research here.10. Actively manage your stress levels. Men with high levels of the stress hormone cortisol manage fewer subordinates, according to one study. The thinking goes that stress might make it harder for leadership qualities to shine through — so make stress-management a priority. Read more about the research here.11. Stay open to feedback instead of responding defensively. In one study, defensive leaders were rated as less effective by their managers on measures including communication and ability to meet business objectives. Defending involves being closed-minded when challenged or given critical feedback. Resist the temptation to respond to feedback right away, and always remain open to the possibility of improvement. Read more about the research here. 12. Sometimes it pays to be a loudmouth — jerks often succeed at work because they're better at getting their ideas heard. It's not necessarily because jerks are smarter or more creative — researchers say they have an easier time pushing their ideas forward in competitive environments. Read more about the research here.13. Interpersonal conflict can hurt a team's performance, but healthy debate can be helpful. Teams in which members get along personally but are nonetheless able to disagree over the issue at hand are the most successful, according to a study, so don't be afraid to voice your opinion. Read more about the research here.14. Working in big groups isn't necessarily the best way to solve problems. Collaboration between lots of people helps when you're gathering information about an issue. But when it's time to sit down and solve the problem, researchers say it's probably better to work in pairs or very small groups. Read more about the research here. 15. Certain kinds of conflict can strengthen your relationship with your coworkers. Communicate your opposition clearly, without getting angry or launching personal attacks. The ideal situation is a debate, researchers say, as opposed to office politics or an outright fight. Read more about the research here. 16. Be aware of gender biases that can creep into performance reviews. Managers are more likely to describe women as aggressive in performance reviews, compared to men. Meanwhile, a study found that men are more likely to hear that their communication style is too soft. One solution is to be clear and consistent about the criteria on which employees are evaluated, like for example how aggressively they communicate. Read more about the research here.

16 science-backed ways to be more successful at work in 2016