Decluttering at Work
Everyone likes to come back to a clean desk every morning, and more often than not, we do. The clean desk is but a short-lived reality, for slowly creep out the files, sheets of paper and stationery. It is a mystery how they can pile up so fast because every effort you make to sort them out results in the accumulation of a new pile.
You finally realize that your patience (and the clutter) has been stretched to the maximum and you need to declutter NOW, but you don’t know where to start. You check for tips with Google, hoping for a magic solution to make the clutter disappear. Google gives you thousands of ideas, and now you see those ideas piling up in front of your eyes like you’re having a visual hallucination.
Let’s be honest, clutter can be traumatic and stressful. It mostly stems from a habit of procrastination. Clutter is an obstacle to productivity, and every organization needs to promote a “zero-clutter” environment on its premises.
Decluttering once in a while is not a good idea. It should be a daily activity. Here are five simple doable ways to avoid clutter and get into the habit of being organized at work.
Schedule a time every day and stick to it.
Most tasks don’t get done because of the “I have no time” excuse. So, begin with a fixed time, preferably towards the end of the day. Avoid the temptation to accommodate other work or activities during this slot. Most importantly, keep your mobile away.
Differentiate between the most used and occasionally used.
The papers and files you use on a day-to-day basis need to be within your reach, while the others put away in a file rack, properly punched, stapled and filed date-wise. If you are a fitness freak, it would do you a lot good to put all your files away in a rack and get up every time you need to refer to one. You will be happy when you check your weight the next time.
Get a shredding machine
The papers that you have finally decided to do away with should be put into the shredding machine before you change your mind. If you are a green revolutionist, you may wish to neatly arrange and utilize one-sided used paper before shredding them, though minimizing the use of paper characterizes a “go-green” initiative.
Digitize your work
Maintain a digital record of all documents and opt for cloud storage. They are easier to access, better to read or edit and safer to store. Print only if required. There are auto-disclaimers in many software applications nowadays that caution the reader not to print unless necessary.
Admire what you achieve
Take pride in being organized. Step back after tidying up and admire what you have achieved – every day. Take a picture of your clean desk or counter and post it on your social media page. This will motivate others to be organized, and before you know it, you have a community of like-minded people inspiring one another.