“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.” – Benjamin Franklin
According to a survey by Adecco, 73 percent of Americans think people are most productive when their work spaces are clean.
If your office (or home office) is in need of a Spring Cleaning, these ideas may help:
Make and commit to a plan for when you will start the task! You can do it all at once or spread it out over a few days but having a plan firmly in mind makes you more likely to stick to it. If needed, schedule the time as an actual appointment on your calendar.
Divide and conquer areas of your office. Organizing and cleaning smaller parts of your work area will give you a feeling of accomplishment and motivate you to move on to the next.
- Stacks of paper – pile them up and tackle it last. Sorting and organizing paperwork drains your time, energy and enthusiasm. Start here and you may never move on!
- Desktop – remove everything and clean it with a disinfecting wipe or spray. Wipe down every item you place back on your desk including your phone, keyboard and mouse. Use recommended products for various electronics and use compressed air to clean out your keyboard. As you add items to your desk remember that it is NOT a place for storage – that’s what drawers and organizers are for. Get rid of unnecessary items and reduce your desktop toys and gadgets to just a couple that bring you joy. Less clutter = more mental focus.
- Desk drawers – remove all the contents and clean them with a disinfecting wipe or spray. Wipe down every item you put back and throw out clutter, broken pens, etc.
- Cords/cables – you likely have a tangle of cords on or under your desk unless you have all wireless equipment. Corral those cords, wipe off the dust and use a cord organizer. There are many styles of organizers – find one to fit your needs!
- The floor and under your desk – even if you have a cleaning service you likely have dust accumulated in the corners and possibly your desk clutter has made its way to the floor. Consider buying a shelving unit or file cabinet if you have been using the floor as a storage area!
After you have the physical office space cleaned, the next step is to maintain it. At the end of each day, take a couple of minutes to put everything back in its place. Maintaining a clean work environment takes much less time than a thorough cleaning!
If your lease is coming due or you have decided that working from home doesn’t work for you, please take a tour of Summit Executive Suites. Our fresh, clean offices may be just what you need!
