When you walk into your workspace, do you breathe deeply or immediately feel more stress?
If you’re like 70% of people who want their office to be more organized, it’s probably time to declutter and redesign your workspace. Decluttering has many positive effects, the biggest one being that you are able to focus more easily on the task at hand. There is less outright and subliminal emotional drain when you have a clean space to produce results in. And you save time when you aren’t searching through piles of papers for that one document you need.
To get started on your workspace makeover, take a few pictures of your space and see what stands out.
Prepare to spend some time updating your workspace so that you can really feel good about it.
Envision a clean space where you can breathe deeply and relax to produce every time you enter.
What will that take?
- A Desk With Drawers– For years I was working with an L-shaped desk that had plenty of surface space but no storage space. Everything was out in the open and creating subliminal mental distraction. Changing over to a desk with drawers makes a HUGE difference in your level of organization and decluttering. If you can’t replace your desk, add some rolling drawers underneath to store the things that are currently on your desk.If you’re working from home and don’t have a dedicated room for an office, be sure to carve out a dedicated space for your enterprise. No more working off the kitchen table and then pushing piles out of the way for dinner. Even if you have to set up shop in a closet, having a dedicated space reminds you and your family that you are serious about your business and it is here to stay.
- Only daily essential work tools on the desk– What do you use every day? A computer, mouse, keyboard, and a planner and notebook are common daily tools.
- Remove and Tame Wires– If you can replace computer accessories to ones that use bluetooth to connect, that will declutter your desk nicely. The ones that must stay can be bundled and channeled away from the workspace out of sight.
- Reduce paper– Here are some key ways to minimize paper clutter.
-Turn piles into files
-Switch to paperless billing
-Use email or another online collaboration or document signing service
-Tear out articles instead of keeping a whole publication
-Scan business cards
-Have a system for incoming mail- recycle, shred, or need attention? Sort immediately - Clear Shelving and Wall Space– Although books, pictures, and notes stored on vertical surfaces don’t get in the way, they create visual clutter and distraction. Here are some tips to deal with them:
-Purge old books/magazines/other notes by reselling or donating
-Minimize knick knacks and photos to your top 3. If necessary, rotate items in and out of visibility. - Organize Digital Files– is your computer desktop more cluttered than your physical desk? If so, it’s time to organize your digital files. Too overwhelming? Hire someone to do it for you using dropbox folders.Get you email under control with the tools I share in my Clean Your Email Inbox post.
- Color Your Space– Now that you’ve decluttered and everything has a place, it’s time to add color to inspire a productive emotional state. Many people like to paint their office a shade of red for power, or blue for peace and calm. If you aren’t able to paint, maybe you can add a piece or art or furniture or even a small throw run that features the colors you prefer.
Add finishing touches– A warm light and small plant such as bamboo bring light and life to your workspace.- Clear Your Desk Daily– At the end of the day, take 3-5 minutes to put things back in their places so you can come in to a fresh clean space the next morning.
The sense of relief you will feel when your workspace is clean, attractive, and decluttered is immense. Peace of mind in your workspace creates a new level of ease and allows you to be more creative.
Enjoy this exercise of clearing out the old and making space for the new. It may just change your life!
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Make today count!
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