Make A Start … And Tidy Up As You Work

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Things get messy. It happens. If you never bother to tidy the garden, don’t be surprised when you walk out after a while and find it’s like a jungle! If you never bother to clean things away in the kitchen, it becomes so messy it’s not just uncomfortable to work in, it’s unhygienic. If you never clear your desk it starts to look like the stationery version of a war zone. Things just get messy. It happens. All the time.

untidy desk

And living in the midst of chaos doesn’t do a lot for your productivity. You have things to do. You have things to take care of. You have a list as long as your arm. But nothing much gets done. Because the place is a mess. Chaos is not conducive to doing your best work.

If you could take a sly peek at the desks of some of the most productive people in almost any field, you’d probably notice that they keep their work area tidy. It’s not that they’re OCD, they just know it helps them get things done. If you’d like to be more productive, it might be an idea to start keeping a tidy desk.

I’m too busy to keep tidying my damn desk!

That’s exactly why you need to do it! It’s like meditation – people who say they have no time to meditate probably need to meditate more than most. And if you feel you have no time to tidy your desk, chances are you really need to tidy your desk!

It needn’t be a big job. Every time you sit down at your desk, every single time … check it’s tidy. If there’s a few things there that shouldn’t be, deal with them – put them in drawers, on shelves, in folders, whatever. Just don’t let things get out of hand. And not dealing with stuff on a daily basis is how you let things get out of hand.

If you’re working in the kitchen, tidy things away before you start, or as you’re working. It only takes moments. If you’re waiting for the kettle to boil, look around … does anything need putting away? Now’s a good time!

If you’re doing something in the garden, keep an eye out for things that need a bit of attention, things that need putting in the shed, hanging on a wall … whatever. It’s the work of moments. And it can save you a lot of time.

When you get out of bed in the morning, do you just walk away and leave it like a dog’s nest, the covers all rumpled and spilling onto the floor … or do you take a few moments to tidy it? Just a few moments. That’s all it takes. Your choice. And you know what you get for making the right choice? A nice warm glow of satisfaction that you’re starting the day doing something positive! Ni-i-i-i-ce!

Apply the principle everywhere