Keeping your workspace clean and uncluttered
Having a neat and clean workspace will enable you to be more productive at your job. When your desk or work area is disorganized or cluttered, time is wasted looking for items that are either misplaced or buried under the clutter.
Tips for keeping your workspace clean:
Businesses provide break rooms for a purpose. When you are hungry, go to the lunchroom or break room to eat. Not only can food mess up your area, but the smell of food can be distracting to coworkers in close proximity of your workspace.
If you feel you must have a drink while at your desk, confine yourself to water, to avoid the possibility of spilling and ruining important paperwork with coffee or pop stains.
Do not file or polish your nails, apply make-up, or brush your hair in your workspace. Those tasks should be attended to before arriving at work, or during your break in the restroom. The nail, make-up and hair supplies are messy and inappropriate to be stored in your desk or nearby.
Organize your work and keep it current. Don’t allow your in-basket to overflow. Attend to projects in a timely manner and have a filing system that accommodates everything you handle. You can even set up a “To be filed” folder in the front of your files to avoid too much paperwork cluttering the top of your desk during the day. File every day.
No matter how long you have been at a job, or how comfortable you feel, do not turn your workspace into a shrine for your personal memorabilia. One small framed picture of your loved ones and a personalized mug should be the extent of workspace decorating. Anything more is distracting and could potentially get in the way of efficiency.
If it would take more than a small box to carry your personal belongings to the car in the event you were terminated, or quit your job, that is an indication you have carried personalizing your space to the extreme.
The last thing you should do before clocking out for the day is to ensure your workspace is neat and clean. By keeping your desk cleared, you will enable the nighttime cleaning crew to do their job. Office cleaning companies generally have a policy to clean around items, rather than touching or moving them, for fear of disturbing something important. If your desk is totally cleaned off, they will be able to dust and polish without inhibition and their efforts will further enable you to enjoy a clean and neat work area.
The greatest benefit of keeping a clean work space is that you will be viewed as aprofessional individual, earning the respect of your employer and coworkers. You will be viewed as a reliable employee with a good work ethic. Your potential for increased compensation and advancement opportunities will be greatly enhanced.
