We’re constantly told that tidy desks mean organisation, productivity, and a less mistake-ridden work day, but is that really the case?
It turns out that a messy desk might actually inspire greatness!
In many ways it completely depends upon the person at hand. Do you consider yourself a tidy and organised person, or are you someone who thrives in a disorganised environment? Neither is worse than the other, it simply comes down to can you get your work done in an effective and high quality way in the environment you’re working within? Do you sit at your office desk and ensure that everything is in its place? Do you like to have a completely clear working space?
This type of situation suits someone who works within a specific type of desking system, e.g. hot desking. This means that your glass office desk has to be tidy, because you’re going to be moving away from it, to make way for another person using it the next day.
If you’re someone who prefers a messy environment, that could be an issue.
To flip all of this on its head, according to a study by the University of Minnesota, a messy desk might actually be a sign of creative wonder! The study followed a room of people who worked with messy classic desks, and a room who were more tidy and organised.
It was found that whilst those who were messy didn’t necessarily come up with more ideas, they did come up with ideas which were considered more creative overall. It was also thought that these people were more likely to take risks in order to chase success, with fresh ideas to bring to different projects.
As you can see, if you prefer a messy desk, it might be that you’re actually a creative wonder!
Of course, that doesn’t mean that if you prefer a tidy working space that you’re not going to come up with great ideas. Those who work in tidier environments are more organised and less likely to make mistakes as a result. It really all comes down to a situation which makes you more or less productive, and changing things as a result. Commercial office furniture is supposed to be seen, and not buried under pages of unread documents!
Regardless of whether your desk is tidy or not, it’s important to ensure that it suits your needs, and that it is comfortable and supportive. Are your designer office chairs ergonomic? You’re far more likely to come up with creative ideas if you’re comfortable and you’re not struggling with back ache. Whether a desk or a chair, office furniture should be designed in an ergonomic way, to ensure productivity whether the environment is tidy or chaotic!
Making use of digital storage instead of paper-based systems is also a good way to cut down on clutter but retain the information you need. This is also more secure from a confidentiality point of view, providing passwords are kept private and changed on a regular basis. More and more offices are moving towards a paperless view, and that means storing information in the Cloud or using USB devices which are encrypted for extra confidentiality and security.
Whether or not you believe that a messy desk is the sign of a genius, or a tidy desk is the sign of a hard worker, what really matters is how well you work at the desk you have. If you feel that you’re drowning under pages of unread documents, it’s time to organise yourself a little better and put productivity at the top of your priority list. Just an hour or so a day will help you streamline your environment and prioritise your workload as a result.
Of course, you do have to wonder whether a manager would look at a messy desk and see creativity, or whether they would see a disorganised employee! Perhaps a little middle ground is all that is required.