I’m a messy person. I have a bad habit of leaving my socks on the floor, not bringing dirty dishes to the sink, and so much more. So it’s no surprise that my desk, after a day or two of working, ends up a complete mess. Empty water bottles, scrap paper, random mail, pens, etc. litter my desk - and by doing so, also my mind.
For me, although I’m a super messy person, I really value cleanliness. So I find it hard to focus when I want to sit down and start working and I see a mess on my desk. And, after doing some reading online, it seems like there’s some reason behind that.
Having a cluttered workspace leads to having a cluttered mind -- the less stuff you have on your desk, the less distractions you’ll face and the better you’ll be able to focus. Cleaning stuff out will help minimize your stress.
Personally, I have a few things I like to keep on my desk. First and foremost, my water bottle. I’ve spoken before about the benefits of drinking water, and being able to drink water while working helps a lot to keep me feeling refreshed and energized while I work.
I also keep my bluelight glasses on my desk -- if you don’t know what these are, they’re essentially glasses that are designed to minimize the amount of blue light that passes through and into your eyes in order to reduce eye strain and headaches. For someone like me who spends their whole day both working and playing behind a screen, they can be a real help.
I also keep my bullet journal with me, since it’s where I try to keep track of my productivity. I’ll journal in it, track my habits, track how long I’ve worked, and more. It’s a one-stop-shop for all things mental.
Additionally, I keep some acrylic drawers from Muji with stationery in them that I use for bullet journaling or doing work on paper.
Lastly, I have my laptop with me when I work. Anything other than that, I try to keep off my desk -- as they say, out of sight, out of mind.
I’ve taken to a habit of neatening up my workspace every day, and I find it to not only be a good reset for getting in a productive mindset, but also helpful for when I actually start working. If you’re like me and sitting at a messy desk reading this blog post, try neatening it up!
