5 tips to de-stress your desk
- Keep personal items on your desk to a minimum. That doesn’t mean that that adorable photo of your kids doesn’t belong in your workspace. It just means that it shouldn’t take up prime working space real estate. Hang it on the wall, clip it on a shelf, or better yet, make it your computer screen saver.
- Pens, scissors, pencils – they just seem to accumulate everywhere on a desk. Take 5 minutes and gather them all in one spot. Now test each of them and toss those that don’t work or that know you won’t ever use. Just how many pens and pencils do you need ON your desk? Grab a spare coffee mug, pencilholder or small basket to store them within easy reach. Put any excess in a nearby drawer. When you need to write something down you’ll never be without a writing implement or grab one that isn’t working.
- Lots of loose papers littering the top of your desk? Gather them all into one pile and spend 15 minutes leafing through them. You’ll be surprised at how much can just be tossed or is ready to be filed away for future reference. What’s left should be papers that need action. Schedule 15 minute each day to accomplish one or more of those action items and you’ll soon reduce the papers on your desk to only those relating to current projects.
- Keep a notepad or notebook handy. When you need to write down a quick phone number, message, confirmation number or reminder you’ll have paper handy and just one place to look for that information in the future.
- Anything that you use on a daily basis should be within arm’s length, including reference books, pens, notebooks and folders. Use it less frequently? Store it a little further away in a desk drawer, filing cabinet, bookshelf, etc., based on how often you need to use it.