Do you feel like your days are stressful, no matter what you do at work? One of the reasons contributing to your stress may be the mess on your desk. Of course, you may think the situation isn’t quite as bad, since a lot of people tend to have a messy desk or home. What we’re about to cover might change your mind.
Five Reasons Why a Cluttered Desk is a Terrible Choice
It Makes Life Stressful
When you start your day feeling like you’re lagging, it can be a pretty stressful experience. This is exactly what happens when you’re dealing with piles of unsorted items all over your workspace. Don’t let it happen.
It’s Distracting You
A mess like that can stop your workflow and get in the way of your job. If you find yourself wondering about the pieces strewn around your desk, then this is a lost time that detracts from your efforts. Interruptions like these can be counterproductive when you’re focusing on your work.
It’s Unhealthy
Taking good care of yourself means taking care of your workspace and surfaces. An unclean desk is a breeding ground for bacteria, something that might have a direct impact on your health, especially given the chance of epidemics and pandemics similar to the COVID crisis.
It Undermines Your Reputation
There is no sense denying that a lot of coworkers will judge you by the state of your workspace. You may not care about that, but the leadership in your company may have a problem with it. If you work in a shared space, the state of your desk will impact the way your superiors and coworkers see you. A disorganised and messy desk can be seen as a sign of your lack of efficiency. It’s not exactly a great professional image.
It Undermines Your Self Confidence
It also does way more than affect the way others perceive you since a messy desk could impact your self-perception as well. Having confidence is an important part of your work, so you should keep your desk clean and free of office clutter.
Now that we’ve covered the negative effects of your messy desk, let’s cover what you can do to change that:
Establish Good Cleaning Habits
It doesn’t have to take long, a mere 15 minutes a week can make a huge difference in your work life. You can do this once every Friday, for example. It’s a great way to start fresh on your Monday morning, giving you a chance to declutter and relax.
Cleaning Based on Frequency
If you don’t use something regularly, you should simply throw it away. If you’re using it weekly, put it on a shelf where it’s within easy reach, but not in the way. If you happen to use it daily or even hourly, then you should have it on hand. Place and keep your tools, files and materials based on their priority.
Creating a Filing System
If you’re dealing with physical paperwork or a digital one, the principle remains the same. The more organised you are, the better you will be at finding what you need when you need it. Creating a proper filing system will take you well under an hour, but it will save you hours or even weeks in the long run at work.
Purchase Organisation Tools
Sometimes, the best way to approach your desk is to add an organisation tool. Shelves or a desk cover can have a nice impact on how your workspace feels, so try using one to improve things.
