What Does Your Desk Say About You?

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