How to Organise Your Desk for Ultimate Productivity

An organised desk can set the tone and productivity level at work. When you organise and maintain your desk, you are creating the best environment for accomplishing your work tasks. To look at a messy, cluttered desk, makes it hard to focus on the tasks at hand and to think productively. This can lead to feelings of anxiety and stress. A cluttered desk also makes it harder to find things you need, such as important documents, files, and even a pen to write things down. With the right workspace layout, your desk can become a space that encourages creativity and innovation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Desk Organization Ideas

Eliminate Reaching and Strain

Items that you use regularly should be close by so that you are not constantly reaching or straining to get them. Thinking about what desk items that you use every day, and have them either on your desk or in a personal storage unit. Walking away from your desk to get a pen or other stationery item will break your concentration meaning you must spend time refocusing when you are back at your desk.

Go Through Piles of Paper

Allocate time to go through every single item that sits on your work surface. Organise any papers and use a filing system to sort them in a methodical way, so that they can be easily found when required. Piles of paper can be used as a way for to procrastinate and put off completing a project. Important documents and files can go missing or be overlooked in piles of paper, meaning that deadlines may be missed. Take the time to complete projects and cross it off your to-do list – don’t leave it in a pile on your desk to come back to later!

Pitch the Sticky Notes

Having clusters of sticky notes are not effective as when they are used properly to take a phone message or to remember an important task. Using sticky notes for shorter urgent messages increases your productivity and keeps your working area free from clutter and from notes that you might forget.

No Food at the Desk

Avoid eating food at your desk, this will ensure your desk stays clean from crumbs and spills. If you do eat at your desk, make sure that you put all food waste in kitchen bin or a bin away from your workspace, as this will reduce unpleasant smells from stale and old food.

Introduce a Paperless Policy

Implementing a paperless policy in your company is a great way to reduce the clutter that builds up on your desk. Not only can you lessen the amount of paper and files on your desk, but you can also reduce the businesses environmental damage and save on paper costs.

Keep it Clean and Tidy

Now that you have spent the time to organise your own workspace, you need to maintain it in its finished condition. Spending 5 minutes each day to reduce the clutter and wiping your desk with an antibacterial cleaner, will help you to maintain a workspace that is primed for productivity and effectiveness.  It’s easy to let the organization of your desk drop when you get busy with other tasks, but remember how good it feels to arrive at work and sit down in a clean, clutter-free workspace. You’ll likely find that you have a better attitude towards your work and feel less stressed. Make it a priority to have an organised desk and take advantage of the benefits that come along with this goal.