How to Organize a Desk for Maximum Efficiency

How to Organize a Desk for Maximum Efficiency

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1. Triage your stuff

Your physical desktop is prime real estate, and you probably don’t need half the stuff that’s taking up valuable space. Here’s a method for culling your things:  On Monday morning, remove nonessential items from your desktop and put them on the floor. As you get busy working, put back on your desk only what you need for completing 

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1. Triage your stuff

each task. At the end of the week, find a new home for anything still on the floor — a drawer, closet or even the recycling bin.

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2. Go with your workflow

Many people have a left-to-right tendency. This means incoming items — phone, inbox, computer, other devices — on the left, a clear workspace in the middle, and outgoing items such as staplers and completed paperwork on the right.  The best way to organize your desk depends on how you operate. Experiment with 

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2. Go with your workflow

various arrangements until you find one that feels natural and streamlined for you.

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3. Save the space

When you need to sign or spread out paperwork but don’t have empty space, your stress level can increase. Designate a section of your desk as a no-parking zone, and get into the habit of not letting things sit there while you aren’t working on them. This clean-up tip may require you to think vertically, such as getting a wall shelf and using it to house non-essential files and other items.

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4. Reduce visual clutter

Even if the desktop itself is orderly, you may not be as efficient as you want to be if there are too many things competing for your attention. For example, some workers love sticky notes, putting them on their desks and around their computer monitors. One or two are fine. But when you have too many, they become a distraction and make it hard to concentrate on what’s truly important.

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5. Add a personal touch

Though clean, your workspace need not be sterile. Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, is a fan of items that give people joy. Put a few meaningful objects — photos, cartoons, inspirational quotes or a favorite action figurine — on your wall, bulletin board or desktop. But keep them to a minimum, or else your desk will look too messy and possibly unprofessional.

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6. Go digital

Paper is still the biggest culprit of cluttered workspaces. If you haven’t done so already, migrate your calendar, to-do list and memo pad to your computer — and sync them with your smartphone for greater accessibility and utility. The beauty of digital productivity tools is that they come with notification options, so you can set up alerts for meetings, appointments and tasks.

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7. Check under your desk

Don’t underestimate the importance of legroom. All those cords and cables under your desk don’t just contribute to the mayhem — they’re also a safety hazard. Use Velcro wraps and cord tamers to prevent tangles and give your feet more wiggle room. And if you’re using the floor to store stacks of files, move them to a filing cabinet or, better yet, digitize them and shred the papers.

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8. Wipe it down

Keep a few supplies handy and get into the habit of giving your desk, keyboard, monitor and phone regular cleanings. Sitting down to a fresh-smelling, dust-free work area improves your mood and boosts your productivity.

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