5 Items to Remove From Your Desktop

   

Flat surfaces seem to be magnets for piles of miscellaneous items.  Kitchen tables, tops of dressers, that chair in the foyer, and even your desk (!) can accrue "stuff" that really doesn't belong there.  Since it's my mission to help people organize their office spaces, here are 5 simple suggestions to help you get started on yours.
Begin by removing unnecessary items from your desktop, such as:

1. Things you do not use on a daily basis.  Keep the phone, computer, planner, stapler, a couple of pens, etc. but remove the rest.
2. Junk mail.  If you're not in the habit of sorting through your mail on the day you receive it, then get in the habit!  Immediately throw away any ads, coupons, credit card offers you know you won't use.
3. Outdated materials.  This includes notes from seminars or meetings, old brochures, ancient business cards, etc.  Anything with an expiration date that's passed, throw it out!
4. Knick-knacks and other companies' promotional items.  I know, you need the stress ball with your insurance agent's logo on it, but do you really need 6 of them?  I think not.  The ceramic angel you don't want to get rid of because your co-worker gave it to you 2 Christmases ago--remove it from your desktop!  You probably don't even like angels.
5. And finally, trash.  So obvious, I know, but I wouldn't have this on the list if it wasn't happening.  Don't leave empty candy and snack wrappers on your desk.  Throw away the mostly empty Starbucks cup from last week.  Same goes for any half-eaten food (ick.).  Throw the trash away.

Take a moment to really look at your desktop now.  Are there any of the items from the list on it?  A cleared off desktop is a wonderful thing!  There will be less to distract you so you can focus on doing your best at work.  Short on time?  Tackle one of these a day and you'll have a "new" desk in only 5 days!  Get started, and good luck.

Causes of Disorganization

What really causes some people to be more disorganized than others?  As it turns out, there are many reasons why some struggle more with becoming and staying organized.  Here are a few of the causes:

• Environmental circumstances such as lack of storage space, inconvenient traffic flow, unpleasant work area
• Systemic factors, meaning trying to follow an overly complicated system, or one that is difficult to implement, or even having no system at all 
• Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, avoidance disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and compulsive hoarding
• Physical challenges: impaired mobility, sleep disorders, and poor vision
• Beliefs and attitudes: "I'm a procrastinator--always have been, always will be." Also, the fear of being judged harshly by others. 

It's important to empathize with people struggling with chronic disorganization instead of judging harshly right away.  We never know what others are dealing with in their lives.

(source: NSGCD, Fact Sheet by Phyllis Flood Knerr)