Are you ready to deal with your desk clutter?
A fine line
It’s true that being surrounded by some visual-abundance can inspire creativity, however there’s a fine line between inspiration and chaos. If your desk is overflowing with objects of inspiration, you may be more distracted than inspired.
A desk covered with papers, office supplies, trinkets and file folders can squash productivity and creativity.
Desk Clutter
If your desk is cluttered, I can promise you that you are throwing away several hours of valuable time each month looking for things that are covered in clutter. Also, the visual abundance of clutter can zap your energy, productivity and creativity. It’s just draining.
A tidy, decluttered desk, on the other hand, allows your mind to relax while staying focused. Productive and creative rhythms aren’t interrupted by the annoyance of searching for lost, hidden items. You may also notice that you make fewer mistakes and are able to get more done in less time.
How do you feel when you look at your desk?
When you organize any space ask yourself: how do I want to feel in this space? Is your desk making you feel that way? Are you motivated, inspired, excited, calm, energized? If not, it’s time to switch up the energy.
Write down, on a sticky note, a few words that represent how you want to feel while you sit in your work space. My sticky note words are “Clear and Confident”. I don’t feel clear and confident while sitting at a messy desk, so I make sure to clear the clutter on a consistent basis.
Clear the Clutter
Cleaning up a messy work space will take a concerted effort. Be brutal by getting rid of everything you don’t need. For example, can you keep 5 pens and get rid of the other 20? Probably.
- Put important papers in their place. If they don’t have a place, take the time to make one.
- Avoid stacking items on top of your desk.
- Throw away obvious trash, daily.
- If you don’t use it for work/creative purposes, get it off your desk.
- Keep knick knacks to a minimum.
- Only leave out items that your are currently using.
- Open all drawers to see what needs to go.
Today’s assignment:
Sit down at your desk, and really pay attention to how you feel. Do you need to switch up the energy?
If so, stay seated and immediately throw out any trash. Next, declutter anything that is no longer relevant or does not belong on your desk. If this is your work desk, don’t let other people use it as a spot to dump their belongings.
Open up the drawers and declutter them, one at a time. Designate each drawer for something in particular so that you know where to go when you are looking for something.
Don’t let a messy desk be your undoing. A few simple steps will help keep your workspace tidy and improve your productivity, not to mention improving your mental outlook.