Create an Environment That’s Organized
One challenge that many people have to struggle with at some point in their lives is working in clutter. Clutter can make it difficult to find what you need, live in an orderly and efficient manner, and get things done.
If you spend time each day looking for your keys or trying to find an important document, you can easily become frantic and stressed and this negative daily energy can build up over time. The impact that clutter has on mental clarity is one of its less obvious effects. Clutter increases stress levels, can contribute to your inability to think clearly, can drain your physical and mental energy.
Fortunately, we are here to help you get headed in the right direction with some useful office organizing tips. The tips will help you create an environment that’s free of clutter and help you feel better while boosting your productivity.
Sort All Items in Your Desk
Proper prioritization is important for maintaining a clean and organized office. The key to getting started is getting it scheduled on your calendar. You can easily forget or postpone a seemingly daunting task to a different day. If you schedule a specific time and date for all your tasks, you will be more likely to get started and eventually succeed.
Start by taking stock of all the items that you have at your desk and in the desk drawers and identify those that aren’t useful anymore that you can dispose of. Think about the last time you used or needed an item. If it has been over 6 months, chances are you will probably not miss it.
If you have items that you must keep or rarely use, store them in an area that’s out of your way and not in the immediate workspace. Avoid letting unused or rarely used items take up all the best real estate at your desk. If you work at a clean and organized desk, you will feel less overwhelmed, which will in turn give you the additional energy needed to conquer your daily tasks.
Go Digital
Offices were brought to a standstill by the pandemic and companies were forced to rethink the best way to operate. Remote work is continually on the rise across numerous industries and more people are getting comfortable working in digital environments.
With the sustained transition deeper into the digital era, there isn’t any reason to have paperwork piling up on your desk. Paper documents are not only not good for the environment, but also contribute to the challenge of maintaining a clean office.
Today, there are virtually endless digital solutions for handling just about any business- related task you can imagine. Many applications today allow you to collaborate on drafts, create copies, and easily save files to your drive. It might be challenging at first to implement this change, but after you get comfortable going paperless, you won’t ever look back.
Invest in a Desk Organizer
If you have a hard time finding things at your desk, you should consider investing in an organizer. On the market, there are numerous organizers to suit your specific needs and provide a space for sticky notes, pens, and paperclips, among other office supplies. If you must have paper files, get organizers that include a file holder for keeping papers and folders in one place.
Don’t Eat at Your Desk
Of all the office cleaning tips out there, this is perhaps the one most people will find to be the hardest. A busy and hectic workload can sometimes get so overwhelming that it might seem impossible to take a lunch break. On such days, you might be tempted to have lunch at your desk.
Eating at your desk, however, not only makes the meal less enjoyable, but also contributes to a messy desk. Eating at your desk also attracts unwanted pests to your space. Avoid storing food items at your desk or in filing cabinets.
Always prioritize stepping away from your desk to enjoy snacks and meals and give yourself a mental break too. If you do that, it will be much easier for you to manage your work area.
Organize Digital Files
Even if you have already gone paperless, it doesn’t mean that you can ignore your digital files. A messy desktop is just as distracting as a messy desk. Depending on the industry that you are in, you can organize your files by projects, clients, years, or assignments.
You should also remember to schedule a routine time for cleaning out old files to keep your desktop as clean and organized as possible.
Reassess Frequently
Regular upkeep is necessary to ensure a clutter-free desk. Besides sorting papers regularly, scan your desk frequently to make sure that everything that’s there should be there. Make it a habit to straighten up your desk every week to ensure that it stays clean and organized.
For all of your commercial cleaning needs, contact the pros at Green Clean Office Maintenance!
