The tidiness of a desk, or lack thereof, says a lot about its user. The range varies between the neat freak and the creative chaotic. An approach to finding a healthy balance.
The time for new year's resolutions is upon us, including in the workplace. Some promise themselves to bring more order into their work, while others want to finally say goodbye to a stuffy obsession with order. Whether it's a clean desk or a chaotic office, there's one case in particular where major mistakes and embarrassments lurk.
It is undisputed the workplace environment has a significant impact on how we work. If our workplace is messy, so are we. The maxim is clear: valuable working minutes are lost every time a misplaced document has to be searched for on an untidy desk.
But the same is true when going paperless. A study by International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that workers tasked with working with information spend up to two hours a week searching in vain for lost documents.
The Brain Demands Order
The flip side is that clutter can affect people more indirectly, a report in the Harvard Business Review describes. The physical environment has a significant impact on perception, emotions, and behavior, affecting decision-making and relationships with others. For example, cluttered spaces can negatively impact stress and anxiety levels, as well as concentration, eating habits, and even sleep.
It's a fallacy to think that cluttered filing cabinets or piles of paper on your desk don't bother you. On the contrary, the brain likes order, and in an orderly working environment, it is easier to concentrate and process information, which increases productivity.
Bad Impressions
Clutter also has an impact at home. Various research has shown that people with a lot of stuff in their homes tend to procrastinate, putting off tasks and resorting to avoidance strategies such as snacking on junk food.
Relationships with others can also be affected by clutter. In one study, participants with messy desks were perceived as less dutiful, more neurotic, and less likable. Such an impression is unlikely to be conducive to career development.
Simple Remedies
Fortunately, there are many remedies for not letting messiness dominate one's workspace while avoiding procrastination. One proven remedy is a regular tidying up of the workspace. When working at home, having a dedicated workspace can help draw a line between work and personal items.
For teams and organizations, a clean desk policy can be implemented. In addition, regular cleaning days combined with fun, such as a shared meal, can help.
IT specialists can provide tools for managing online documents and provide guidance on what can be kept and what can be thrown away. In doing so, companies have to strike a balance between practical and security considerations while taking into account employees' need for self-identity and autonomy.
No Obsession With Order
To be sure, it is important to warn against a mania for order, because the disorder is by no means always bad. Research shows that untidy desks can increase creativity. In a messy environment, people are more inclined to break with norms and look at things in a new way, rather than conforming to expectations.
Like so many things, when it comes to the question between order and chaos in the workplace, the good measure is likely to lie in the middle. A desk that is too spotless could indicate a lack of creativity. A very messy desk, on the other hand, could cast an unfavorable light on work ethic and personality.
Now, where did I put that memo?
