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An Organized Desk Saves Time and Money
Did you know that the average person loses an hour a day due to disorganization? Think about that. How much money are you spending 'looking for things'? If you are self-employed, that is coming directly out of your pocket. If you are an employee, your employer isn't going to be too happy about paying you to lose items, and then paying you again to look for them. It doesn't take too long to figure out that your next organizing task could be compiling a list of companies that are looking for new employees!
We all know that time = money, yet we seem to forget that clutter = loss of money. Who wants to lose money? Not me, and chances are, not you! How much time do you spend looking for that piece of paper you put down on your desk last week? That lunch receipt you have to submit? The report that is due tomorrow?! We are all guilty of it. Setting things on our desk with the full intention of putting it in the proper place once we get a second to do it....and then the Mail icon flashes, a co-worker walks in, etc. Before you know it, you are now on the tenth task since walking back to your desk. Exactly where did you put that piece of paper?? Look at your desk as your personal command centre. In order for you to be most productive, it needs to be organized for maximum efficiency. We have a few suggestions to help you achieve this goal, and ultimately, save you time and money. We all spend hours upon hours staring at our monitors. It should be in front of you (not to the side which requires constant turning), and at eye level. Looking up or down even slightly can cause both eye and neck strain. Place it approximately 17” from your body. Think ergonomics. Keep sticky notes to a minimum. Your monitor shouldn't be a repository for sticky notes. Not only does it look unprofessional, a light breeze can send them sailing across the room. They're okay for a quick turnaround reminder, but if they've been there longer than 24 hrs, use a calendar program on your computer and set yourself a reminder. Only keep one or two personal items on your desk. A couple of photos can make us happy when we look at them, however, too much 'stuff' can easily lead to distraction. Remember, time equals money. Stay on task. Unless your job requires you to be on social media, turn off all notifications. Use your lunch time or break time to catch up with friends and family – not your work time. Are you left-handed, or right-handed? Leave open space on your dominant side to use as designated work space, to sign documents, etc. The same goes for your phone. Leave it on your dominant side so you are not turning or reaching for it. Paper cups, decorated cans, old coffee cups. What do they have in common? They can all store office supplies! Personally, I'd opt for a more professional storage container, however, they can all do the job of organizing your office supplies. Don't let pens, markers, paper clips, staples, etc steal valuable desk real estate. Get yourself one or two containers to hold the office supplies that you use daily and leave them on your desk. The ones you use less frequently can be stored in a desk drawer. Keep an adequate supply of frequently used office supplies in your desk so you don't have to get up and retrieve them from another area.
If you need to store files on your desk, we suggest using vertical files to avoid stacking files on top of each other. There are numerous options available to choose from in many styles. If you love to DIY, check out our Pinterest site for lots of idea on how to make your own file holders to reflect your own personality. Make sure you have an ergonomically correct chair to fit your body type. If not, you'll be fidgeting throughout the day trying to get comfortable which will distract you from your work. Worse, you could develop back problems! Last but not least, it doesn't hurt to have nice, fresh flowers on your desk. Having a colourful and beautiful touch of nature to look at can boost your spirits, make you happy, and thereby make your more productive. Dare we say that pretty flowers on your desk can help you save money? Wonder what would happen if you shared that little tidbit with your boss! We hope these suggestions help you achieve your goal of an uncluttered and work ready desk, however, please feel free to tweak them so that they work best for you. Bonus Tip! Here are a few personal items that you should have tucked away in your desk:
Deodorant – because you never want to ask yourself THAT question
Toothbrush (in travel case) and toothpaste – no spinach stuck in your teeth
Band-aids – new shoe woes and paper cuts
Lint Roller – it's never bring-your-pet-to-work day
As always, we at Organize My Chaos are ready to help with any questions you may have. If the whole idea of de-cluttering and organizing your desk or office is a bit too overwhelming, let us know and we can do it for you. Check out our Pinterest Page for hundreds of creative and inspirational organizing ideas! As always, we'd love to help organize your chaos. We offer complimentary 30-minute consultations in your home, and can create a plan to tackle any sized space! Contact us now to get started!