A tidy desk?

Experience shows it, bosses demand it, and numerous studies prove it more or less clearly: your workspace should be tidied up at regular intervals. Admittedly, supporters of the theory that a certain degree of creative chaos on a desk can actually encourage creativity are not entirely wrong. However, it is also true that once chaos reaches a certain level, productivity at work is seriously impaired. So from time to time, even the nicest creative mess has to give way to a well-thought-out sense of order. When it comes to “the small desk clear-out”, experts recommend a decisive and well-planned approach.

It feels good to start the next working day relaxed and with an organised workspace. No question about it. But what would you say to starting every day of your life feeling calm, balanced and in harmony?

• The four-box system for quick successe
• Why should I keep my office tidy?
• How do I create order in the office?
• Does a tidy workspace improve concentration?
• Conclusion

The four-box system for quick success

One thing first: a little tidying up will not create order at your workspace and at best only postpones the problem. Besides, one clean corner does not make for a sensibly organised workspace. If tackled properly as a concrete project, even the worst desk clear-out takes no longer than three hours. The floor in front of the desk becomes your best friend and helper – which is why it is a good idea to first vacuum the floor around the work area. After that, the entire desk, its drawers, pedestals and work surface should be completely cleared out or off. However, it is of little use to hold all your belongings in your hands once, only to put them back exactly where they were afterwards.

A four-box system helps with sorting and throwing things away. The floor around the workspace is divided into four imaginary areas, each with a purpose: “Waste”, “Forwarding”, “Important” and “Urgent”. In this way, every single item – from an individual Post-it to the calculator – is consistently placed in one of these areas so that it can later be put back in a sensible place. Experts advise deciding on a system beforehand, whether from left to right or from the outside in – it does not matter. The main thing is that every sheet of paper, every pen, every file and every ring binder is removed from the workspace individually and only handled once. There are no in-between piles, as that only wastes time. “Waste” speaks for itself. “Forwarding” collects everything that can be delegated or needs to be taken elsewhere, such as to the archive, back to the library or to the bookshelf.

The “Important” square for keeping your workspace organised is where you put things that, after a quick desk clear-out, need to go straight back into the drawer or onto the desk and be dealt with. If you like, you can take advantage of the fact that you’ve already briefly thought about the topic and jot down the next step on a Post-it note and stick it on. That saves a bit of time later on, but be careful: don’t overthink it, just one or two keywords, not elaborate novels. “Urgent” is for things that can be done either immediately or straight after the tidy-up and take no more than a few minutes: putting a stamp on a letter, signing and forwarding it, arranging an appointment or postponing a meeting, for example.

So, let’s get started: The receipt for gummy bears and cough sweets? Rubbish! The cough sweets themselves? If they’re still edible: pass them on – in other words, take them home. If they’ve developed a dull coating or smell a bit odd: toss them with the receipt. A ballpoint pen that no longer works and for which you meant to look for a new refill: rubbish. The folder full of ideas for new projects: stick a Post-it on it, write “Clear out!” and put it in the “Important” square. A file whose “Urgent” Post-it is already starting to look a little crispy? Skim through it and either pass it on, i.e. delegate it, or put it in the Important square.

Once the desktop has been completely cleared, the drawers emptied and the filing cabinet freed of old clutter, the next stop is the cleaning cupboard: all surfaces are wiped down, the computer, keyboard and printer dusted, and the drawers vacuumed. The items you need every day go back first. That’s right: back to their place. And anything without a place gets one assigned – or is briefly but seriously questioned: do I really need two different-sized hole punches, three rulers, an estimated 25 pens and two pen pots for work? The unnecessary items go back into storage or, depending on their condition, into the bin.

After that, the eraser, a maximum of five pencils and the same number of ballpoint pens or fineliners are given their place in the top desk drawer, the notepad goes next to the phone and the unread mail into a small basket that previously served as a depot for toy surprise-egg figures, a dumping ground for paper clips and a temporary storage place for greeting cards, and whose contents have now almost entirely ended up in the “Rubbish” square. In short: the desk is organised according to familiar logic, but also in line with current needs – so less working time is lost to awkward searching. The wastepaper bin is emptied into the outside bin, and the things that were lying in the “Pass on” square are taken to the place or person they need to go to. Done? Clean? Congratulations, mission accomplished.

THE EIGHT-POINT SYSTEM FOR LASTING ORDER

As we all know, chaos at work doesn’t arise all by itself, but it certainly multiplies to a remarkable extent. One unwashed coffee mug quickly turns into two or three – and where the fourth one came from, nobody really knows anymore. That one printout you meant to read carefully and do something with has long since grown into a whole stack of documents with similar content. And the drawer where you keep things you might definitely need again someday, but in fact never use again, will soon be bursting at the seams as well.

So even if you are generally a tidy person, it makes sense to put two dates in your calendar each year: “small desk deep clean”. Since the Christmas period tends to be stressful and January rather more relaxed, January and June are a good choice – if tackled every six months, the task won’t take much time either.

You should still keep the following eight points in mind throughout the year.

1. Put things back: Keep items where they belong and return them after use.
2. Throw things away: Use the bin straight away.
3. Make notes: One large notepad instead of lots of little sticky notes that can easily disappear makes work easier, especially when phone numbers need to go into the address book in the evening and appointments need to be entered quickly into the right calendar.
4. Organise: Using the same filing system on your computer as on your desk, and the same structure for physical and digital folders, helps you keep your workspace tidy in the long term and find things quickly.
5. Hierarchical filing: Put the most urgent item on top and the least urgent at the bottom.
6. Tidy cables: Sort out cords and, ideally, hide cable clutter away completely in boxes.
7. Think about reach: Store frequently used items close by and things you rarely use further away.
8. Tidy up in the evening: If you organise your desk every evening, you’ll start the next working day feeling more relaxed.

Why should I keep my office tidy?

You should keep your office tidy because you want to. However, you will often find that you lack the motivation. There are two good reasons why you should tidy up.

1. Your workspace reflects your inner life and shows your working environment what type of personality you are.
2. Bosses love neat and tidy offices and workspaces. After conducting his survey, psychologist Cary Cooper found that four out of five managers choose employees who can present a tidy desk.

The office acts as a projection screen: many people associate a messy desk with an unstable personality. We know it’s nonsense to put colleagues in boxes. But we spend a lot of time at work and can’t avoid personalising our workspace. One or two little plants, pictures of the family, chocolate or your favourite book for the lunch break. Unconsciously, you reveal a great deal about yourself to your working environment. Your colleagues know how you work, are familiar with your preferences and, based on your status symbols, judge whether you use your elbows to get to the top.

Creating order in the workplace makes sense. You have a major influence on how you want to be seen by those around you.

How do I create order in the office?

The quickest and easiest option: get yourself a spacious box. Sweep everything lying around into it. Wipe down all your office furniture with a damp cloth. First, take all the important things out of the box and assign them a place. Then tackle the rest. Throw away anything you no longer need without batting an eyelid. Et voilà: a tidy desk! An organised workspace! A tidy office!

Does order in the workplace improve concentration?

A clear yes. After giving your workspace a thorough clean, you can face the demands of everyday working life more consciously and with greater focus. You avoid inner stress and save the most important resource in your life: time.

Conclusion

Creating order in the workplace can be great fun once you understand that you hold all the strings. You influence how you are perceived and what abilities are attributed to you. You gain better concentration and more time. You gain quality of life. Does that convince you?

Expert tip: declutter your desk

Get off to a focused start!

To give yourself the best chance of working as effectively and undisturbed as possible, your desk should be as clear as possible. Only keep the things here that you really need and want to deal with soon.
Things that have been left there unnoticed for years can safely be thrown away. Items you need more often should be kept within easy reach.