It’s no secret that a messy desk can cause all sorts of problems, least of all being that it looks untidy. In fact, some items just don’t fit in your office space. They can even cause you to be less productive, among other things. Let’s look at 12 daily items that could be holding you back at work that you don’t even know about and why they’re so bad for you.
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Outdated Electronics
If you have a bunch of scrap electronics piling up, then it’s time to get rid of them. Phones and devices that are years out of date are wasting valuable space. Worse still, if they get damaged, they could be a fire hazard. You should recycle any old relics to keep your desk up-to-date and safe.
Excessive Personal Decorations
Sure, a few pictures or a plant can make your desk seem a little more homely but once your desk becomes a mini-souvenir store, it’s time to cut back. Having so many decorations gets pretty distracting. You’re better off getting just a couple of items that don’t take you away from your tasks at hand.
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Non-Work-Related Reading Material
Unless those books and magazines are helping you with your work, they probably don’t belong on your desk. It’s way too easy to get sucked in when you’re turning those pages. Before you know it, your break has become way longer than you expected. Instead, keep the novels and magazines in the break room. Then, you can still read them between shifts!
Perishable Food Items
That half-eaten sandwich from lunch certainly shouldn’t stay on your desk. It looks unprofessional and to make matters worse, bugs and pests love to eat it, too. You should do yourself a favor and store any food in the fridge. Better yet, just bring just enough for lunch because that’ll stop you from having any leftovers lying around.
Excessive Stationery Supplies
While all love some good stationery, do you really need ten different types of sticky notes and 20 pens on your desk? Probably not. Buying too much stuff can easily cause things to get out of order & you might not even be able to find what you need. Instead, keep the supply list to just a handful of your favorites, then put the rest in a safe place until you really need them.
Over-the-Counter Medications
A small bag of meds (like painkillers or allergy drops) may seem like a good idea to keep on your desk. Unfortunately, your work area isn’t a hospital. If it looks like you’re stocking up for the apocalypse, maybe it’s time to purge. Having fewer medicine bottles on your desk gives you more room for all of your office essentials.
Personal Gadgets
We know all too well how smartphones and tablets are a massive distraction. If you’re checking notifications every five minutes, put your devices in a drawer for when you’re not working. This way, you can put more time into your work and less into your social feeds. That’s good for everyone. You may also want to set specific times to check your phone, like at coffee breaks or lunch, so you’re not distracted.
Large Bags or Backpacks
The big bags and backpacks you threw under your desk are an eyesore and a trip hazard, so avoid keeping them there at all costs. Instead, put them in a locker or drawer or another safe place — because it’ll stop you and your coworkers from tripping over things. Don’t you want your workspace to be more tidy and organized?
Loose Cables and Wires
A few loose wires can soon turn your desk drawer into a cable nightmare, which, at best, looks disorganized. But worse, it’s also dangerous. Use clips and ties to keep your cables away from the floor, then watch as your foot space and sanity clear up. Plus, using cable management equipment will keep your wires from breaking down.
Unnecessary Printouts
There’s no excuse for having piles of papers you never touch in the age of the internet. Any papers you absolutely need should be filed away, as it keeps your workspace clean and you’ll know exactly where your important files are. Whenever you think about printing, think again. Your desk and the planet will thank you for it.
Offensive or Polarizing Material
Your desk isn’t where you can do things that could be offensive to colleagues — whether that’s with plaques, books or anything at all that looks controversial. Just remember that professionalism is the secret of a dignified office. You should keep your personal opinions to a place outside of your workplace so that everyone feels comfortable and stays on task.
High-Value Items
Glamorous electronics and expensive possessions can attract the wrong kind of attention at work. You should save those precious objects at home or lock them up when you’re not using them. It’ll also stop you from worrying about your stuff — which you definitely don’t need to do when you’re working. If you need to take valuables to work, have them insured and put them somewhere safe during work hours.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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