A Clean Desk Is a Clear Mind. How can you be productive with a messy desk? Than answer is you cannot! A messy desk is a major distraction to you. A messy room is even more of a distraction. It inhibits your focus that you are trying to apply to your work.
A clean desk, room, workplace helps keep your focus on your work. You should be able to gaze into the warm glow of your monitor without having your eye pulled into seeing a heap of miss placed paper. It does not mean you cannot surround yourself with the things you love. I do have a couple of Star Wars figures carefully placed upon monitors, but my desk surface is typically clean. I tend to meet more goals now being organized and clean than I did before.
Here are two specific reasons a clean office/desk helps me.
- When I start my day I am not leafing through papers. I can comfortably sit at my desk and begin work. Keeping a clean desk almost overflows into my email box. I try to keep that clean and clutter free as well. My mornings are so much better when it is clutter free.
- Once started in my work; a clean work area helps me stay focused. There is nothing drawing my attention away from my screen and there is lots of room for a note pad and paper on my desk. I can always find the things I need when I need them. There is no wasted time when things are clean and organized.
I am not a clean freak by any means. My wife can tell you that. I am a guy, I leave clothes around and rarely put things away. At work or in my office I am very organized. I use in/out trays, pencil/pen holder, trash can and I keep no dishes on my desk. My clients reap the rewards as I general stay on task and stay on schedule. My wife taught me the benefits of a clean room when she did an office makeover for me.
Here is a blog that just dug up that speaks almost directly to what I am talking about. click for external blog
If you are not convinced that a clean office helps with focus, try it for a week or two. Spend one weekend cleaning and organizing your workspace. If you are not convinced by the end of a week or two, start leaving the empty pizza boxes around and then do a mental comparison.