| It may not be a surprise that recent studies have | | | | new millennium. Articulating keyboard trays and |
| shown that people with clean desks tend to be, well, | | | | drawers not only give you added space, but they |
| more productive. Thirty-three percent more | | | | provide the ergonomics your body needs to prevent |
| productive to be exact. Is it because they have less | | | | fatigue and other more serious conditions like Carpal |
| work to clutter up their desktops? Hardly. The study | | | | Tunnel Syndrome. |
| also measured productivity in relation to organization | | | | Third, keep only the items you use often on your |
| skills and those who stay better organized, not only | | | | desk. Take a good look at some of the things you |
| have tidier offices, but they also waste less time | | | | may keep within reach daily, but only use a few |
| looking for things through piles of disorganized | | | | times a week: staplers, three-hole punches, reference |
| paperwork and more time getting their work done. | | | | books, calculators, etc. If you don't use them every |
| Whether you're naturally neat and clean or messy | | | | single day, put them away and take them out only |
| may have a lot to do with how you were raised and | | | | when you're working on a project that requires them. |
| whether you are a right- or left-brained thinker. But | | | | Fourth, create files and use them. As soon as a |
| that doesn't mean that your genes need to dictate | | | | project begins, create a file for it-even if it's only |
| how productive you can be. There are several ways | | | | temporary-and keep the files for your active |
| to tidy up that workspace and here are some tips to | | | | projects close to your desk. Move all other files to a |
| help you get started even if you're a complete pack | | | | filing cabinet. |
| rat. | | | | Fifth, stop using sticky notes. Nothing clutters up a |
| First, focus on keeping your desk clean. Lots of | | | | workspace faster than sticky notes that tend to fall |
| workspace will help you spread out your paper work | | | | off the thing they're supposed to be stuck to |
| when you need to, without losing papers, misplacing | | | | anyway. Keep a single notebook on your desk and |
| things, forgetting documents or misfiling the wrong | | | | write all pertinent information in your notebook |
| items together. Start by freeing up some desktop | | | | throughout the day. If you need something, you'll |
| space by getting that bulky computer monitor off | | | | know exactly where to find it and when it's no longer |
| the desk. A monitor arm, mounted to the side or | | | | important, rip out the page and file it in the |
| back of your desk, will not only give you about | | | | appropriate file. |
| twenty-five percent more room to work, it'll also | | | | With a little overhaul of your behavior and your desk, |
| allow you to tilt your monitor to control glare. | | | | you can become much more productive and that |
| Second, never, ever keep your keyboard on your | | | | may mean the difference between a promotion or |
| desktop. If you're still reaching up to your desktop to | | | | not. |
| type on your keyboard, it's time to move into the | | | | |