Clearing the Clutter: Create a Productive and Organised Workspace

Do you often feel stressed or overwhelmed while working at your desk? Stress and chaos go hand-in-hand, which is why a messy workstation is often a reflection of one’s mood and state of mind. When this is out of balance, it can negatively impact one’s mental clarity and productivity.

According to Forbes, disorganisation can cost each employee an average of one and a half hours each day which is spent looking for things. This creates a stressful working environment. According to a National Association of Professional Organisers study, 91% of people feel more efficient and less stressed after decluttering their workspace.

Why decluttering is important

Clutter can cloud the mind and decrease your motivation to work by instilling a sense of dread before the day even begins. There are many knock-on effects, from an inability to focus to decreasing productivity. It is important to keep this in check as a dysfunctional environment can impede your ability to perform at your best. You can enhance your well-being and efforts at work simply by decluttering.

How to declutter your workspace

Here are our top tips for decluttering your workspace, just in time for a spring clean.

A simple 4-step plan on how to declutter your workspace.

•  Step 1: Have a plan.

Decluttering your workspace is not just about getting rid of physical clutter, but also alleviating mental clutter too. Begin with a plan on how to arrange things so that once everything is sorted, it stays organised. For example, if you have a lot of paperwork, you’ll need a filing system that works well for you. If you have many bits and bobs, you can utilise storage containers for the items you keep.

• Step 2: Start with a clean slate.

Begin by removing everything from your workspace and then only add the items you truly need back into the mix. Once you have a new system planned out, you can begin sifting through your items to see what to toss versus what to keep and where.

• Step 3: Organise your items.

To keep your workspace functional, be sure to stow away the things you won’t use often and have everything you need on a daily basis within easy reach. Another helpful tip is to organise your items into relevant categories and store them in labelled containers or drawers.

• Step 4: Digital is critical.

Since much of our day-to-day lives involve digital processes, be sure to keep these spaces organised too. Sort through the files on your computer, delete old emails, and unsubscribe from unnecessary newsletters or notifications.

How to maintain your workspace

Tips for maintaining a clutter-free workspace

Decluttering is an activity you’ll need to work on overtime to keep everything in check. You may even find that this is a process you enjoy doing, especially when you see and feel the benefits of having an organised and stress-free desk. Here is a collection of practical tips on how to keep your workspace free from clutter so that your office promotes mental clarity and focus, allowing you to achieve your best.

•  Tip 1: Make your workspace visually appealing.

Decorate your space with calming and inspiring elements like plants and artwork. This creates a healthy and wholesome space which motivates you to be creative and productive. Your organisation elements should also be complementary to the aesthetic so that it becomes second nature within the space - for instance, colour coded files or printed labels.

•  Tip 2: Eliminate distractions.

Remove any unnecessary notifications on your computer and phone, and keep your workspace free of things that are distracting or trigger negativity.

•  Tip 3: Spend a few minutes at the end of each workday tidying up.

Put away any items that you used during the day and straighten up your workspace. This ensures that keeping the space under control remains manageable and that when you return in the morning, you have a fresh space ready to welcome you.

•  Tip 4: Incorporate mindfulness practices.

Try taking a few minutes at the beginning or end of your workday to meditate or do some deep breathing exercises to clear your mind and reduce stress. Decor can also greatly enhance your health and well-being at work. Incorporate natural light and plants to reap the benefits of having a deeper connection with nature.

•  Tip 5: Do a weekly deep clean.

Spend some time each week to do a deep cleaning of your workspace. This will keep the dust at bay and reinforce your dedication to creating a pristine workspace for the mind and body.

•  Tip 6: Schedule a monthly decluttering session.

Take some time each month to reassess your workspace and get rid of any unnecessary items. Clutter often builds up over time and then becomes unmanageable and overwhelming, so regularly tackling the accumulation of ‘stuff’ at the desk is a must to keep things from reaching that point.

That wraps up our top tips and techniques on how to declutter your workstation and why it is so important. Staying organised requires a commitment to the cause - it is not a one-off task, but rather an ongoing process, with a quarterly routine to ensure you’re keeping your space productive.

For a one-on-one consultation to make your workspace delightful & productive, write to us at info@ofis.ae or plan a visit to our showroom in Dubai.