Quick Tip: Keep Your Work Area Clean
One of the things that I struggle most with is clutter. I can never seem to create a clear workspace, either at home or at the office. However, after reading some helpful blog posts and testing out some ideas, I found a few ways that you can create that clear work space that will foster great ideas and reduce distractions.
Move It Out
One of the things that I found helpful was to move everything on top of my desk to somewhere else. Or, at least try. There are some things that must stay on top of my desk, i.e. my computer, but other things can find a home elsewhere. With less on the surface of my desk, I have fewer distractions and the area simply looks cleaner, which raises my self confidence and productivity levels.
Keep It That Way
Probably the hardest part of cleaning your desk is keeping it that way. It seems like the next day I’m at work, I just pile more stuff on the surface of my desk and I’m back to square one. Instead of trying to clan your desk off at the beginning of the week or in the middle of the week, why not do it on your last day in the office that week? You can take home certain items, throw away others, and not have to be bothered with your work area for a few days. Then, once you get back into the office, your desk will feel like new because you feel like new.
When talking about cleaning, I must caution you: Out of sight does not mean it is not there. I often take things off of the top of my desk and throw them into my drawers. This is just as bad. When you remove things from the top of your desk or clean it out for the week, reorganize your drawers and discard anything that you can. Clean drawers will help you to stay organized and focused, especially when you really need to find that important document from six months ago.