Harness the 'Hawthorne Effect' to Get More Done

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. 

What is the Hawthorne Effect?

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. 

Researchers and social scientists have spent decades trying to figure out if the Hawthorne Effect, as described in early research, is real or not, but it’s still a concept that has been noted and studied for a long time—and to which you may relate. Consider your childhood: You probably cleaned your room a little more diligently when your mom was standing in the doorway glaring at you than if she just told you to go do it. Not everyone performs better under the watchful eye of someone else, but if you’ve found that you do better work when you have regular check-ins with a boss, stay more focused when you know your time is being monitored, become the master of your maps app when you and your friends are lost, or spring into action when colleagues are looking for a leader, you could benefit from tapping into the Hawthorne Effect. 

Putting the Hawthorne Effect to use

You can’t really make yourself be observed, right? You can’t ask your boss to monitor you all the time, for instance, but there are a few ways you can create the feeling of being watched or checked in on and harness it to be more productive. If you want to try to incorporate some of the Hawthorne Effect into your own life, try these ideas:

• Request regular check-ins with your manager, even if they’re just weekly, 10-minute chats. Adding structured, scheduled conversations to your week will enhance the feeling that they’ll be expecting to hear about your recent work and results. 

• Find an accountability partner. This could be a coworker, classmate, roommate, or anyone who is working on something similar to what you’re doing. Check in with them regularly, again on a set schedule, and always be prepared to update them on your progress.

• Use apps that can give you a feeling of being tracked, at least when it comes to your goals. Here’s a list of apps that can serve the purpose, whether you’re looking for a virtual accountability buddy or even one that acts as a demanding “boss,” sending you messages demanding proof of your progress. I use Finch, an app that forces me to check off to-do list items so I can buy little outfits for a pixelated bird avatar. Even the feeling that the app is monitoring me—which it is, by awarding me streaks and points when I complete tasks—motivates me. Whatever works!

• Work somewhere with other people around you, like a coffee shop or communal workspace, if you aren’t in the office. This actually works great for me, as I find it embarrassing to zone out or scroll social media if I’m working from a coffee shop. Logically, I realize no one there actually cares what I’m doing, but illogically, I still want to appear productive in front of strangers.

• Take group fitness classes. I teach spin classes and take my colleagues' various class formats multiple times per week in addition to working out on my own, and I know from experience that it is truly motivating to be surrounded by other people.