Being Neater Could Help You Become More Efficient

According to the Delphi Group consulting firm, 15% of all paper handled in a business setting is lost. What’s worse is that up to 30% of employees’ time is spent trying to find lost documents.  Not all wasted time is spent purely on paper shuffling since the volume of email has risen over 30% in the last calendar year. Many report massive email quantities that are never answered or filed.

I make a conscious effort to try and clean the clutter in my office once a week so I know where to find things and to bring clarity to my work station. It also relieves my stress level when my office area is orderly since students and colleagues frequent my workspace regularly. Disorganization on the job can make people stressed and the literal piles of work adds to depression and low morale in the workplace according to David Lewis, a business psychologist and expert on mess, stress, and information overload.

Lewis conducted a massive survey of American and European office workers for his client, Esselte, which owns Pendaflex, the hanging file company. He ascertained that 43% of the Americans surveyed described themselves as disorganized and over 21% have missed crucial deadlines due to their inefficient ways. More than half surveyed reported that their disorganization caused them to work late 2-3 times a week in order to give themselves time to catch up.

Organizing is about making priorities that make sense to the individual.  There is no single filing and organizational system for all since every person responds to a different threshold of neat. But, be aware that your public office space is also an impressionable environment for colleagues and clients and reflects how they view you.

Consider that you may be losing out on important projects from your boss if she feels you are not organized enough to handle a serious new assignment. That may not be the case at all, so don’t let your cluttered desk come between you and a great opportunity. Your messy desk may stress out your boss more than it does you but in the end it could prevent you from moving forward in the company.

Impressions and behavior are crucial for all professionals so remember your office can reflect how others perceive you in the work environment. Take some time to go through your piles and you may be pleasantly surprised at how liberating a good office cleanse and purge of clutter can be. According to David Lewis, it will also make you more efficient so you will be more in control of your time.