Okay, it’s time to roll up the sleeves and get going. I’m starting the de-clutter process in my office. No real surprise. I spend lots of time there, and it shows. Stuff on the desk, on the floor, and even stuff on the dining room table. If you want to be more focused AND productive you’ve got to get the clutter out of your work space.
Starting with the desk I take everything off of the desktop and out of the drawers. Here’s your chance to wipe down the desktop- when’s the last time you did that? Now, the stuff on and in the desk can be put on the floor. You’ll want to sort through it and toss everything you really don’t need. I mean, do you really need that mailbox coupon that offers 2 for 1 cheeseburgers at the local greasy spoon eatery? Now, when you’ve parted with the junk you’ve got to sort the saved stuff. I use folders of the kind you get during a 1-cent sale at Staples. Your system may be different, like maybe a filing cabinet setup. It’s a good idea to keep supplies and other items in designated drawers. Put labels on things if you must, but remember to have a dedicated spot for every item you decided to keep and make sure that it stays there, or goes back there when you’re done using it. I get lots of paper coming in every week. Before the papers pile up sort them each day – toss them or file them as you see fit. Just remember that whatever you do with your papers, DO NOT KEEP THEM ON TOP OF YOUR DESK. All you want on the surface of your desk is your phone, computer, and inbox, and maybe your favorite personal affects along with the documents you are working with at the moment.
Clutter can be a problem on the computer, too. Purge the programs, files and even desktop icons you don’t need. They slow down your machine and they make for visual clutter, too.
Information comes to us from more directions now than ever before. Get on top of it. Cut back on newspaper and magazine subscriptions. Limit your intake of radio and television. How much time are you spending on social networks? They can eat up your whole day. Limit your reading on these sites. No need to become a hermit. Just know when to “say when” and put some boundaries on yourself.
JohnK 4/16/2013
Overheard: “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
– Confucious
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