Keeping your desk tidy is beneficial for many reasons. It will reduce stress, help you remember what tasks you have to do, allow better time management, and make you look more professional. Before you know it, things will pile high on your desk, distracting you from your work. Take a few minutes to go through your desk to determine what you need and what is clutter. Below is a list of things to keep off your desk:
Papers
Take time to go through all your papers and recycle the ones you don’t need. Organize the papers you need in folders. Get rid of old to-do lists and post-its that you have already completed. When working on a project, only keep the materials you need for it on your desk. Keep all other projects off your desk.
Snacks
Keep a candy dish or a bag of chips off your desk. Not only will you eat less, but you will be less distracted. Eating while working is distracting. You have to interrupt your focus each time you go to pop a handful of M&Ms in your mouth. If you have an extra drawer in your desk, make it your snack drawer. There should be one specific spot in your office for your food. In it, keep your lunch box, a set of plastic silverware, and nonperishable food items.
A clock
It is important to focus on the work you need to complete, not how long the tasks take you. Having a clock around won’t help you get your job done. If there is a deadline or meeting you need to make, set an alarm on your phone. Being able to look at the time may be stressful and distract you from your work at hand.
Coffee cups and wrappers
You probably aren’t going to re-use your paper coffee cup. Throw out all your trash in the garbage. It will make your office looks more professional and will give you more space to do your work.
Your cell phone
Keep your cell phone off your desk. Cell phones are very distracting. Facebook, Twitter, and texting get in the way of the tasks you need to complete. Put your phone in one of your desk drawers. You will be less distracted, and can be more productive.