Take a glance around your
desk and what do you see? A mug with yesterday morning’s coffee stains? A smiley
face stress ball or a quirky little figurine? A trail of multi-colored post-it
notes leading to stacks of papers that look like a Jenga game?
You may not regularly notice
these little “gems” around you, but your co-workers and boss sure do – not to
mention clients! Sam Gosling, a personality researcher at the University of
Texas, Austin, claims, “I've come to believe that what's going on outside the
mind reflects what's going on inside the mind."
Therefore, if you are among
those who plays the game of Hide And Seek every time you go to look for a paper,
that may reflect you are disorganized and have too much going on. Take an inventory of what you have around your desk; weed out the
stuff that’s old, taking up space, or just plain useless. If you’re an awesome
multi-tasker and have multiple projects going on, find a way to neatly
organize projects in a manner that works for you, but makes it look like
you have your ducks in a row.
But wait, what if your desk
is spotless? (Ha..) No one would ever guess you are a father of four, a KISS
enthusiast and an all-star quarterback on your buddies’ flag football
team. What does that say about you? You’re
organized, focused on your work and have everything under control, right? Or
could some see your overt tidiness as “no fun” and little creativity?
Some say, you should always
keep your personal life and your work life separate. Personally, I think that
is getting more difficult to do as the times change. That line is getting quite
blurry. I think it is good to let a little of your personality shine through at
work. Of course, it needs to be appropriate and it doesn’t need to be
over-kill. A small family photo or a picture of your favorite lyrics would be
appropriate (as long as those lyrics aren’t, “I want to rock n’ roll all night,
and party every day!”). It’s all about finding a good balance and ultimately,
creating an environment that you’re comfortable in and one that doesn’t hinder
your productivity.
It’s your turn:
- What does your office/desk space look like?
- How do you feel about “personal touches” at work?
- Do you find yourself more productive when everything is neat and tidy? Or are you able to work amongst the clutter and manage many things at once?
I can’t wait to get your feedback!
Lindsay Moore
Project Director
