Home
>
Get Organized - Organization
>
Success at Work : Techniques : A Cluttered Desk

Success at Work : Techniques : A Cluttered Desk

I followed my boss to a co-worker's cubicle where my boss requested a certain document from the co-worker. The actual surface of the co-workers desk was not visible because it was covered with a cluttered pile of papers, catalogs, booklets, and other paraphernalia. I was prepared to see my co-worker embarass himself by not being able to locate the requested document in that messy pile.

Some people mistakenly think having a cluttered desk will trick their boss into thinking they are keeping busy. Instead, a cluttered desk makes your boss think the following:

You are disorganized
You are a procastinator
you have poor time management skills
you have low productivity
You have lost control

My co-worker pushed his hand down into that cluttered mess and, to my amazement, instantly produced the requested document. Apparently this guy had a mental map of the location of every item in the seemly disorganized pile on his desk. Maybe we misjudge people that keep a cluttered desk.

People think that a worker with a messy desk does messy work. Misjudgment or not, if you have a messy desk, your boss might not want to risk giving you an important assignment. You will get only low profile, boring grunt jobs. Fair or not, that's the way it is.

Things that clutter a desk:

Pictures of family, pets, etc.
Trinkets, plants, figurines, signs
Food, cups, bowls, silverware, wrappers, crumbs

I'm not saying that you can't have any personal items on your desk. Displaying a family photograph gives the impression of a stable, reliable individual, but too many photograph's on your desk sends the message that you would rather be somewhere else. A plant on your desk can make your cubicle seem less harsh, but too many plants makes people think that your hobby is taking over your cubicle.

Yes, it requires a little extra time and work up front to get organized, but in the long run, you'll make up that time. After you get organized, you'll work less to be more productive, and your work will much less stressful. One way to keep your desk neat is to block off 30 minutes each morning to organize your desk. Divide things into three categories:

Things to take care of now
Things you will deal with later
Things to file away for reference

Then utilize the following organizing tools:

notebooks
file folders
boxes
drawers
cabinets
briefcase

U se these organizing tools to create a place for every item on your desk. Everything should have a place, and everything should be in its place. Your desktop is the place for only one thing, the one thing you are working on this instant. The most important organizing tool is the one listed below:

trash can

Some people hang on to things forever because they think they may need it at some time in the future. Study the item you are hanging on to. What are the odds that you will need it some time in the future? None to zero? In the slim chance that you do need it in the future, is there some other source for it?

Some people keep things related to active assignments on their desk so they won't forget about what needs to be done. Instead, keep a prioritized task list. A prioritized task list is great for workers who constantly get interrupted. If the interruption is your boss, show them your prioritized task list and ask where the new assignment fits in. If the interruption is not your boss, show them your prioritized task list and tell them you'll check with your boss as to where their chore fits into list.

The reality is that some people are never going to get organized. They believe that any other activity has a higher priority than organizing. The story about my co-worker indicates that being disorganized is not a reliable indicator of a deficient employee. But if you have a cluttered desk, that's how you will be perceived. If you can't use the tools described above (boxes, drawers, cabinates, etc.) to organize your cluttered desk, then at least use them to hide the clutter.

Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included.

About The Author

Stephen Bucaro

To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com. To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit bucarotechelp.com

tidy up service Glenview ..

In The News:

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Success at Work : Techniques : A Cluttered Desk

Get Organized - Organization