Some say a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, others say a messy desk is a sign of genius. Driven by a “nagging Mom” and the 8th grade science fair, my sons’ friend, Nate set out to find the truth.
Nate’s findings were that people perform better in a messy environment. More importantly, at least for Nate, he now has the ammunition he needs to stop his mom from bugging him about his own messy desk…I think Nate rigged the experiment.
I personally work better in a neat environment. It gives me space to work and space in my mind to think. The picture here is my desk…as you can see it’s not perfect but there is space.
Have you ever found yourself so overwhelmed or distracted by the things around you? I know I do. When I have too much going on or too many things strewn about on my desk it’s hard for me to think. I get frustrated, overwhelmed and lost. For me a messy desk it leads to scrambled thoughts.
In order for me to think clearly I need a clear space around me. That doesn’t mean that it has to be spotless or that every single pile has to be taken care of but I do need space.
What’s interesting is that while technically the space I’m opening up may be physical, I find that when I open up physical space it clears out space in my mind. Somehow when there are a lot of things around me it’s just too busy and noisy for me to think.
We each have our own “toleration meter” to assess the levels of distraction, piles and the disorder that surrounds you. Our toleration meters are all set differently. What that means is that what drives you crazy may be perfectly fine for me and vice-versa. It doesn’t make either of us right or wrong, just different.
What’s more is that your personal need for space, and level of tolerance may vary based on what you are doing. For instance, the more challenging I find a project the clearer the environment has to be. I can easily create a quick shopping list on a messy desk or crowded environment but if it’s a more involved “to-do” list for a big project I’m working on I need the space to think.
There are certainly many times when I feel stuck on a project or can’t seem to get any traction on something I’m working on. When that happens to me I find that clearing up my physical space often does the trick.
So if you’re feeling stuck, distracted, overwhelmed or just plain uninspired creating some space may just be the ticket you are looking for. Try these three simple strategies to clear your environment and open up some space to think.
- Toss the junk. Before I wrote this article I scanned the things on my desk and tossed some junk mail that had gathered on my desk along with directions from my new phone that I’ve already looked through and no longer need.
- Put away things you are finished with or don’t need for the project you are working on. Before I wrote this article I put away my calculator, two books that I was not reading and my checkbook.
- Make space in your calendar. Do you have a block of time to do the project you have in mind? Before I began writing this article I made sure that I set aside a block of time to start it and complete my first draft. I knew that I would not have the time to finish the article completely but I made sure I had enough time to get to a logical break point.
So what do you think? Is a messy desk the sign of genius or a messy mind? Share your thoughts here in the comments section and let me know!
Hi Carrie:
MY desk is neat, but the area around it (I work out of my cellar) tends to be messy. I’ve made it a point, at the end of every workday, to straighten out the area around my desk.
I have to make a point to clear out the OTHER spots arouns my desk.
Steve
It’s great that you straighten your desk regularly. I’d bet that you’ll find that as you clear the other spots around your desk you’ll clear more space in your mind to get the work done…let me know…
Hi Carrie!
You’re absolutely right about the clutter around you and the noise in your head – it is totally overwhelming to walk into my office if there is stuff on my desk that I have just put there and not done something with, even if just overnight. I used to work at my roll-top desk but even the items on top of the ledge made me crazy, so I bought a new system, without a ledge to stack things on. I’m much happier, and now I can also use this as an example with my clients. I love when I can use myself as an example!
If anyone wants to know what state of mind I am in, all they have to do is look at my desk. I have found that when I am overwhelmed or disorganized myself, so is my desk. With piles of papers to be filed or to be dealt with. Granted, I know where everything is – it’s just in an “organized mess”. When I finally pull myself back together and clean my desk, I am more organized myself, think clearer, more focused and also find myself cleaning out other areas around my desk and home.
I make a point to do five minutes of decluttering every day as I begin my work day. Rarely does this involve my desk: I keep nothing on it when I’m not working on it and I’ve got an organized place for everything.
Messy desk=I’m overwhelmed by distraction.
I always find it amazing how different we all are…I have a pretty clear desk but there are certainly ALWAYS things on it. But I do notice that when I’m particularly distracted or distractable my desk is usually in a more chaotic state.
I have to have a neat desk or I sit there, with a blank stare, wondering where to start. I do think a messy desk clutters the mind. I always feel better when I have straightened it up.
I agree! I feel exactly the same way about when I clean up my physical space, I have more mental space! Thanks for a great article!