How Much Workspace is Needed to be Productive? 

You should have a dedicated workspace… this is a must. How much workspace is needed to be productive? The amount of real estate that you have is not really the issue. As with your personal belongings, stuff expands to fill the available space. You probably have noticed this with your clothes closet.  The larger the space, the more pants, shoes and sweaters you collect.  With your work area, the more space you have the more piles, memorabilia, and tech gadgets take root.

If you were to take a step back and survey the items strewn across and around your workspace, you could probably count on one hand the number of items that are essential. By this, I mean those items that you use every day to do your work. As for the rest, they are probably split between those used occasionally and those rarely used. This makes a good argument for scaling back what has collected. Not only will you be minimizing the distractions, you’ll create a more productive workspace. Those items that are kept should support your daily workflow while at the same time keep your space organized. For example, this could include a file tray or box, pencil holder, charging station.

I recently found myself in a similar situation… we had scheduled some work to be done in our den which is where my office is located. I had to move out of the space for 10 days. There was only one spot that would work as my temporary workspace away from the noise and dust.  It was a small portion of the bedroom table that was occupied by the flat screen TV. There was only enough room for my laptop and mouse. I had to use the adjacent countertop for my water cup and tray of pending project folders which was stacked on top of my tray of other essentials… my phone, pencil, highlighter, post-its, and charger.  I had dreaded having to work this way but was pleasantly surprised as time went by.  I realized that I was working efficiently and had gotten a lot done in a very small space with only the essentials at my fingertips.  Even though I’m now back at my full-size desk, I’m sticking with the very small space mindset.

I encourage you to assess your workspace, determine what’s essential and remove the rest. If you have any questions concerning how much workspace is needed to be productive , let’s talk.