If “cluttered desk, cluttered mind” is your motto and purging your workstation of clutter is only a dream, approach it one problem at a time, starting with these seven steps:
7 Steps to Clear Workplace Clutter. Source: ShutterStock
- Close the dump. Do you have a “dump site” where you stash papers or other items because you can’t decide where to put them or you’re a procrastinator? Your desktop is not a storage area. The only papers that should be there are the ones you’re currently working on. When items don’t have a “home,” they pile up everywhere. Label a spot for every item and keep it there.
- Don’t be a pack rat. Be ruthless in discarding items. “Just in case” isn’t enough justification to keep most items. And don’t hoard supplies in your workstation. Periodically clear the accumulated flotsam from your desk drawers.
- Follow the “daily” rule. If you don’t use an item every day, store it out of sight.
- Ditch the knickknacks. You don’t need to strip all mementos from your workstation, but keep only meaningful items. Have some items been on your desk or wall for so long that you no longer notice them? If you can’t bear to part with them, at least rotate the display so only a few are visible at a time.
- Scan your shelves. Pitch expired catalogs, old telephone books and outdated reference materials.
- Go electronic. Self-adhesive notes are wonderful, but they pile up and fall off onto the floor or into other files. Train yourself to keep notes electronically, such as using the Microsoft Outlook Tasks feature.
- Combine functions. Perform an office-form audit. Review the forms your office uses for any that can be discontinued, shortened or merged.
Source: Business Management Daily