If you need to tick off lists, complete a report, or run some numbers there is a sensory prescription to help you make less mistakes, focus your mind and get more done.

We’re better at cognitive tasks and make less typing mistakes in a red room.

Red has a physiologically stimulating effect, and scientists believe our in-built fight or flight response to the colour causes us to be more alert and vigilant – and therefore better able to focus on detail oriented tasks.

If you can’t sit in a red room, then just surround yourself with red things to trigger the same response.

Your productivity notebook should be red.

Cinnamon is a stimulating scent which has been shown to improve problem solving abilities, and increase accuracy. It’s also cross-modally linked to the colour red.

You don’t need to pump the scent out into the room with an atomizer. One study saw positive results with participants chewing cinnamon flavoured chewing gum. So maybe make yourself a cinnamon tea instead, or aquire a cinnamon bun to accompany your coffee.

The soundtrack to accompany your productive session should match the other elements of the sensory environment; lively and stimulating.

It must be music you know and like though, otherwise too much mental energy is taken up figuring it out.

Alternatively listen to a lively background hubbub of activity, like a café or busy office. Try the one below; there are more similar sounds on the Sense Soundcloud page.

Have objects out on the table in front of you that remind you of feelings linked to organisation, accuracy, productivity.

A calculator, geometry set perhaps, or one of those executive  desk toys that makes you feel like a bigshot.

We are more alert under bright light conditions. One study which had different office floors set to varying levels of brightness, showed that people worked more accurately and efficiently, felt better and more energized in the brighter lighting.