Desk Must-Haves and
Must-Not's

Remember your first month on the job, where you started with a clean, trinket-free desk? As the months of work poured in, so did the clutter. But you can’t seem to throw out the papers and bric-a-bracs because “they’re important!”

Majority of an office employee’s stress and inability to do work actually starts from a messy desk. According to lifeclever.com and ismckenzie.com, the key to having an organized desk is to throw away the things you don’t need and properly sort out the ones you do.

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TOSS

Photo Frames
Sure, you want mementos of your loved ones close to you, but having too many picture frames and scrapbook photos of friends and relatives on your work area may be the main source of clutter and distraction.

Instead of stashing a dozen photo frames or pinning photos around your desk, try organizing your favorite digital photos into your desktop screensaver or slideshow programs such as Flickr. Your souvenir photos will flash on your computer screen during your breaks, giving you instant inspiration without taking office space.

Freebies
The perks of working for a company include getting freebies, whether they’re from events, monthly benefits, or sponsors. The thing is, we are all suckers for anything that’s handed out free, even if they’re unnecessary stickers, back issues of magazines, brochures and cheap pens. Dump them all in the garbage, or better yet, give away your boxes of free supplies to public schools, charities, or friends who will have better use for them.

Souvenirs
If you have backstage ID passes from last year’s company concerts and shows, do yourself a favor and toss them away. Are you still displaying the souvenirs from your last marketing event? Old invites, tickets, trinkets, and magazine cutouts of your favorite actors are nothing but junk. Dump them in the garbage bin.

Personal books
It’s tempting to show off your favorite novels and those 2,000-page books you read in college, but if the books have no purpose for you at work, take them back home. Reference materials such as dictionaries are okay to keep at your desk, but don’t turn your area into a library.

Sticky Notes
“What?! But I can’t live without my post-in notes in every color!” Both lifeclever.com and ismckenzie.com agree that sticky notes should be banished from the work desk. They’re easy to lose and look like clutter once they’ve filled up your corkboard and monitor. The best way to organize your to-do list and reminders is to keep a notebook, planner, or PDA. It takes up less space and your thoughts won’t be scattered all over your desk. Try ditching your sticky pads for a week and keep just one notebook. You’ll notice you don’t spend as much time trying to locate a random note you jotted down days ago.

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KEEP

Stackable Trays
Keep at least three stackable letter trays and divide them into the following:

1. Incoming = new mail, memos, work orders and other new documents that need your attention but haven’t been read and sorted out yet.

2. On Hold = stacked on top of your Incoming Tray, this tray contains documents that you’ve already read but haven’t completed yet. This includes plans for potential projects, blueprints, event invites that you might attend, etc.

3. Current Projects = for this section, you may opt to have a box instead of a top tray. Create one folder per active project.

Filing Cabinet
You may need to look at old records and important documents again in the future, but for now, organize them alphabetically in a separate filing cabinet. If you see documents or papers that have no purpose for you, dump them. If they belong to another department, pass it on.

Dump Boxes/Bins
1. Waste Basket = for actual garbage, such as candy wrappers and food containers.

2. Recyclable Bin = Instead of crumpling pieces of paper and tossing it randomly, place them in a To-Recycle Box. This should include old folders and envelopes that may be recycled by the department in charge. You’re doing both mother nature and your company a favor.

3. Shredder = If you’re in charge of confidential documents, it’s best to keep a shredder nearby to eliminate old documents guilt-free.

Supply Area
Keep all your fresh supplies of staple wires, blank folders, papers, and paper clips in one drawer. That way, you won’t waste time looking for a supplies when you need them urgently.

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Do the To-Do List
Purchasing colorful post-its and pretty organizers is the easy part. Ticking off those tasks on your to-do list is another thing. Get work done with these modern techniques:

Clean Your Desk
“Desk clutter creates stress, confusion and cuts down on your productivity,” according to topten.org. “It is estimated that people waste an average of 30 minutes per day searching for papers—that translates into 10 hours per month or a whole three weeks per year of unproductive time.” But cleaning your desk isn’t as simple as dusting off the dirt and throwing away pieces of paper. Whether you’re working at home or from the office, follow Coachville Coach Training Center’s ten steps in a achieving a clean, work-conducive desk:

1. Take everything off your desk and out of your drawers. It will help you start from scratch and see your desk space’s potential. 2. Give your desk a good dusting and wiping, down to the dirt lurking in the dark corners. 3. Get a large bin bag and start dumping everything you don’t need, down to the outdated manuals and catalogues that you’ve only read once in your life. 4. Start putting the equipment back on your desk. Display only what you use everyday, such as a few pencils, the phone, and a notepad. Keep the rest in the drawer. 5. Keep just one calendar and one organizer. If you received a lot of calendars and planners last Christmas, give them away or toss them in the dump. 6. You don’t need too many photo frames, mementos, and toys on your desk—they can actually be very distracting. 7. Don’t turn your desk into a storage area. Keep only the items you use daily. 8. Have a wastebasket nearby and make sure you use it. 9. Keep an organized filing system for your books, magazines, booklets and papers so they won’t pile up into a mountain of junk. 10. Maintain your clean space by allotting 10-15 minutes every morning to tidy up your desk. It’s a great way to start your workday.

Prep Your Body
Zenhabits.com suggests the following rituals before you start doing work: First, take a shower. “The act of grooming ourselves can make us feel much better.” Then take a short walk. It gets your blood pumping and helps you get a jumpstart on work. You may also try a few minutes of yoga or stretching before you sit down at your work desk. It even helps you shed off a few calories.

Determine Your Time-Wasters
“What are your time-bandits?” asks Susan Ward of about.com. She suggests tracking down the personal activities that you spend too much time on, such as grooming your nails, watching TV, or surfing the net. Make an activity diary for three days and jot down everything you do per hour. You’ll realize that instead of doing important tasks, you’re wasting your time watching reality TV or checking your personal email.

Unplug the Distractions
“The biggest distractions come from connectivity,” says zenhabits.com. We’re talking about your instant messenger, mobile phone, TV, personal email, and other unnecessary technologies that keep you from doing your work. Turn off your IM, put your phone to silent mode, and unplug the TV. It will be easier to concentrate on one task when you’re disconnected from the techie world. You can always reconnect when you’re done with that overdue report.

Reward Yourself
Don’t allow yourself to do personal stuff such as checking email and surfing your facebook account until you’ve completed about 30 minutes to an hour of work. Set a timer. When your allotted work period is up, reward yourself with five to 10 minutes of personal time.