1. Clutter has increased in and around your work place
Build up of clutter is a common early indicator that you have lots going on, or you are utterly disorganised, or both. Truth is, it is still the same.
It has often been said that your work space is a reflection of your head space – worryingly true for many of us. As if to prove it, the opposite can also be true; a clear desk space makes it easier to be more creative & productive. If you dispute that, you’re in denial. Not denying that you can be productive in clutter, but denial that you have enormous potential the other side of the chaos.
On work experience back in 1983 at National Panasonic in Slough, I learnt that the senior management wanted to see desks with one document and one pen on top. Now this may be a touch idealistic, but it is a great call. Get everything off your desk that you haven’t touched or used in the last 24 hours.
Then try this 33:33:33 purge that I have successfully used for myself and with a number of clients. This can apply to every piece of paper and every email:
- 33% – Keep, important stuff (the original document maybe) I want to work on it or read it.
- 33% – Chuck out, you’ve held it too long, old reading material that hasn’t been read, won’t be. Get shot of it.
- 33% – Not sure. Box it up and give it to a friend or neighbour on the agreement that if you don’t ask for it back in 2 weeks, they have permission to chuck it out.
That’ll be a two-thirds clutter cut in one action step.
And while you’re at it stand still and look again at your work space right now. What do you see? For me I can see a rolled up bit of carpet a box of print cartridges and a chair that never gets sat on. Get them out, NOW.
Good luck and keep me informed. The peacefully, powerful & productive version of you lies just ahead.
S
Just to illustrate I do this work too, the carpet and box of cartridges are no longer in my work space
Do it, it works!
S