Valuable Real Estate – Your Desk!
What drives real estate prices up? When there is more demand for space than there is space available. Nowhere is that more true than with that small but precious piece of real estate known as Your Desk. If you consider how much disorganization slows you down, and creates anxiety as well, then you will want to read on. Keeping your desk organized will calm your nerves and boost your creativity and productivity. Your NYC Organizer will show you how it’s done!
First, clear your desktop of everything except the bare essentials like your computer, phone, an inbox, an outbox and a favorite family picture. The only items that should be on your desk are those that are used all the time. Those less frequently used items should be kept in a desk drawer or cabinet within close proximity to your desk so that they are still within your prime real estate. All those notes on little pieces of paper and post-it’s strewn across the desk can probably be trashed as the information referenced has long been addressed. If jotting notes on small pieces of paper helps you manage your to-do’s, tack them to a bulletin board adjacent to your desk so that they are always in plain sight.
The inside of your desk needs to be organized to be functional. Avail yourself of the many types of desk drawer organizers that are out there, both in stores and online, to boost the functionality of your drawers. Organizers are especially good for those small items like glue sticks, extra staples, paperclips, binder clips, post-its and the like. Be sure to keep an adequate supply on hand and to return the excess to the supply cabinet.
If you have a file drawer in your desk, keep only your action files and frequently accessed reference files in this space. Are there documents that you can store digitally? Scanning and backing up such documents can be a great space saver, and keeps those documents easily accessible. Digital archiving is also great for articles that you may want to save for later reading. When you have hard copies that must be archived, arrange the files in labeled accordion files or cardboard or plastic file boxes, and store them in a closet. Make sure to note on the outside of the box the date when the documents can be discarded.
A great action file to have is a Waiting On Response file. This is where you can put documents that require action from someone else before you can act on them. Keeping them in a single file will make it easier for you to keep track of them, and they don’t have to collect on your desktop. Once acted upon, move them to the appropriate project-oriented or reference folder.
Finally, as is so often the case, the key to keeping everything ship shape is to give clearing your desk and organizing the papers that have accumulated during the day your undivided attention for the last few minutes of your day. This way your attention can be focused immediately on your top task of the day when you get to work in the morning.