In today’s post learn the #1 habit you need to make office organization successful! By establishing this one daily habit, you can keep your workspace organized, make your desk an insanely productive area, and rock your business building time.
The #1 Habit You Need to Make Office Organization Successful
Office organization doesn’t have to be time consuming, overwhelming, or a chore.
By creating this one good habit you can make office organization simple and manageable.
All it takes is a few minutes each day to complete this task. and you’ll keep your workspace organized, make your desk an insanely productive area, and rock your business building time!
First, let’s talk about the importance of creating habits, then I’ll spill the beans on the #1 habit you need to make office organization successful.
Let’s go!
Why Creating Habits is Important
Creating habits is important for many different reasons.
Here are 3 BIG things you gain by establishing supportive office organization habits:
- More time – habits help you to be more efficient which equals more time for rocking your business building time.
- Less internal resistance – habits make it easier to do what must be done; they decrease the internal struggle that creates added stress and frustration and leads to wasted time and energy (see the bullet point above).
- Decreases decision fatigue – when you’re tired your ability to make good decisions falters, and you often choose the easiest option (binge watching Netflix instead of improving or maintaining your office organization); having established habits cuts out a large portion of your daily decision making and automates an activity; that means you suffer from less decision fatigue and make better choices (and get AND stay organized so you can make the most of your limited business building time)!
Now, that you have a better understanding of the importance of habits, let’s talk about how one, simple daily habit can make office organization successful!
The #1 Habit You Need to Make Office Organization Successful
This is the one habit I’ve established that has made the biggest difference in helping me keep my office organized….
And it’s the #1 habit YOU need to make your office organization successful:
Clear off the top of your desk every. single. day.
Yep, just clear off your desk at the end of each workday!
Sounds simple, doesn’t it?
It can be.
But it’s also incredibly powerful!
You’re working your business in the margins of your life, around your family’s needs, other commitments, and maybe even around another job.
Your valuable business building time is limited, and you can’t squander it wading through the clutter of previous days’ tasks and projects!
By clearing off your desk today (and at the end of every workday) you’ll start the following day in a positive, clutter-free way that will allow you to get down to business (instead of spending half of your work time shuffling the remains of the previous day’s projects).
Your Desk: The Kitchen Sink of Your Office
You know how when one or two dishes are left in the kitchen sink, they seem to multiply in minutes then migrate all over the kitchen?
A similar thing happens in your office, and it starts at your desk.
Your desk is the “kitchen sink” of your office.
- If your desk is messy and cluttered, then your office probably is, too.
- If your desk is cleared off and free of clutter, then chances are the rest of your office will be less cluttered and messy!
Clearing your desk every day at the end of your work time is the #1 habit that will make office organization successful, and it’s a simple process that gets easier and faster the more you do it! #winwin
Clear Your Desk Now
Let’s get started right now by clearing your desk off!
Today’s desk clearing will be the most challenging and the most time-intensive because there are days or weeks worth of clutter stacked on your desk top.
But, if you complete this step each day at the end of your work time, it will NEVER be this difficult again!
Step #1: Quickly Put Away as Many Items as You Can
Start the desk clearing process by putting away items as quickly as you can.
Put your writing utensils in the pencil cup, put your books on your shelf, put paper clips and tools in your desk drawers, etc.
If there are items that make you pause, ignore them and find more items to put away as quickly as possible.
This shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes (but if it takes longer, don’t despair—just get through this as quickly as possible!)
Step #2: Put Everything Else into a Bin
Now you’re going to deal with all those items that you couldn’t put away quickly because you weren’t sure where to put them….
Grab a bin or a basket and fill it with any items still cluttering up your desk.
These are all the items that had you pausing or scratching your head in step #1.
Round up those poor, homeless items and toss them in the dump bin.
**Plan to set a timer for 10-15 minutes over the next few days to empty your dump bin. Use that time as an opportunity to declutter the items in the bin and put the remaining items away.
BONUS Step #3: Wipe Down the Surface of Your Desk
If your desk is anything like mine was the first time I dug it out from under months of piles and projects, it’s probably a little gross (mine was not just a little gross).
Maybe there are a few remains from those lunches scarfed down at your desk or some stickiness from the coffee you spilled last week and then there’s the dust and annoying bits of things….
This is a bonus step and not required but it only takes a moment, and it will make your desk an even more attractive place to sit down and work.
Grab a rag or a paper towel, dampen it, and wipe off the surface of your desk. Scrub away the food remains and stickiness and wipe up the dust and annoying bits.
You deserve a clear and clean place to work!
Step #4: Smile and Breathe a Clutter-Free Sigh
Take a good look at your clean and clutter-free desk and breathe a sigh of relief!
Doesn’t that feel amazing?
Just think how it will feel to start your workday with a fresh, decluttered workspace!
Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
But clearing your desk today is only the first step….
Create a Daily Desk Clearing Habit
In order to see lasting change and maintain your more organized workspace, you need to create a habit of clearing your desk every. single. day.
Block out the last 5-10 minutes of each and every workday to clear off the top of your desk.
Set reminders and alarms to help you remember until this becomes automatic.
Clear your desk at the end of your work time every day!
Sign Up for the 7-Day Office Organization Challenge and Snag a FREE Habit Tracker
Be sure to sign up for the 7-Day Office Organization Challenge to learn more about habits and tasks that will help you get your office organized and KEEP it that way.
There’s also a FREE habit tracker included in the challenge that will help you in your quest to build a desk clearing habit!
Psst, during the challenge you might even see something about clearing your desk each day, so you’ll be a step ahead! 😉
Sign up for the challenge, snag your FREE tracker, and mark each day you clear your desk until it becomes an automatic part of your work time.
You’ll be amazed at how excited and full of energy you’ll feel when you sit down to work at a clutter-free, organized space!
The #1 Habit You Need to Make Office Organization Successful
Office organization doesn’t have to be time consuming, overwhelming, or a chore. By creating the habit of clearing your desk at the end of each workday you can make office organization simple and manageable.
By establishing this simple daily habit, you can keep your workspace organized, make your desk an insanely productive area, and rock your business building time!
Related Posts
If you enjoyed today’s posts, you might find these related posts helpful:
- 3 Essential Routines for Home Office Organization
- How to Set Your Desk Up for Success
- How to Use Labels to Organize Everything in Your Office
What item/s make up the biggest portion of your desktop clutter?
For me, it’s paper!
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