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Success at Work : Techniques : A Cluttered Desk
By Stephen Bucaro
I followed my boss to a co-worker's cubicle where my boss
requested a certain document from the co-worker. The actual
surface of the co-workers desk was not visible because it
was covered with a cluttered pile of papers, catalogs,
booklets, and other paraphernalia. I was prepared to see my
co-worker embarass himself by not being able to locate the
requested document in that messy pile.
Some people mistakenly think having a cluttered desk will
trick their boss into thinking they are keeping busy.
Instead, a cluttered desk makes your boss think the
following:
- You are disorganized
- You are a procastinator
- you have poor time management skills
- you have low productivity
- You have lost control
My co-worker pushed his hand down into that cluttered mess
and, to my amazement, instantly produced the requested
document. Apparently this guy had a mental map of the
location of every item in the seemly disorganized pile on
his desk. Maybe we misjudge people that keep a cluttered
desk.
People think that a worker with a messy desk does messy
work. Misjudgment or not, if you have a messy desk, your
boss might not want to risk giving you an important
assignment. You will get only low profile, boring grunt
jobs. Fair or not, that's the way it is.
Things that clutter a desk:
- Pictures of family, pets, etc.
- Trinkets, plants, figurines, signs
- Food, cups, bowls, silverware, wrappers, crumbs
I'm not saying that you can't have any personal items on
your desk. Displaying a family photograph gives the
impression of a stable, reliable individual, but too many
photograph's on your desk sends the message that you would
rather be somewhere else. A plant on your desk can make
your cubicle seem less harsh, but too many plants makes
people think that your hobby is taking over your cubicle.
Yes, it requires a little extra time and work up front to
get organized, but in the long run, you'll make up that
time. After you get organized, you'll work less to be more
productive, and your work will much less stressful. One way
to keep your desk neat is to block off 30 minutes each
morning to organize your desk. Divide things into three
categories:
- Things to take care of now
- Things you will deal with later
- Things to file away for reference
Then utilize the following organizing tools:
- notebooks
- file folders
- boxes
- drawers
- cabinets
- briefcase
Use these organizing tools to create a place for every item
on your desk. Everything should have a place, and
everything should be in its place. Your desktop is the
place for only one thing, the one thing you are working on
this instant. The most important organizing tool is the one
listed below:
- trash can
Some people hang on to things forever because they think
they may need it at some time in the future. Study the item
you are hanging on to. What are the odds that you will need
it some time in the future? None to zero? In the slim
chance that you do need it in the future, is there some
other source for it?
Some people keep things related to active assignments on
their desk so they won't forget about what needs to be done.
Instead, keep a prioritized task list. A prioritized task
list is great for workers who constantly get interrupted.
If the interruption is your boss, show them your prioritized
task list and ask where the new assignment fits in. If the
interruption is not your boss, show them your prioritized
task list and tell them you'll check with your boss as to
where their chore fits into list.
The reality is that some people are never going to get
organized. They believe that any other activity has a higher
priority than organizing. The story about my co-worker
indicates that being disorganized is not a reliable
indicator of a deficient employee. But if you have a
cluttered desk, that's how you will be perceived. If you
can't use the tools described above (boxes, drawers,
cabinates, etc.) to organize your cluttered desk, then at
least use them to hide the clutter.
Resource Box:
Copyright(C) 2004 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintain
your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web
site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com
To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit
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About the Author
To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit
http://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp