Desk Detox: Maximizing Productivity through Workspace Decluttering

The adage, ‘Cleanliness is akin to godliness,’ is quite often replicated in our work environment. It gained heightened importance during the COVID wave, and rightfully so. Even before the pandemic, many multinationals had already implemented a ‘Clean Desk Policy’ (CDP). This policy, in its most basic form, requires employees to clean their desks at the end of their workday. It is especially important to adhere to such a policy where sensitive data and information are involved and just lying around on your desks.

The real question is what is ‘desk detox’ and why it is important. ‘Desk detox’ refers to organizing one’s desk in a clutter-free manner to have a more efficient and stress-free work environment. This is creating a system to streamline work by eliminating unnecessary items and organizing paperwork and other stationery.

The term ‘detox’ draws a parallel with the process of detoxification of mind and body. For the mind and the body to function at their maximum capacity, the body needs to be toxin-free. Similarly, to utilize maximum work potential, one needs to have a stress-free environment.

“Joy at Work”, written by Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein, highlights the importance of tidying the work environment. It goes as far as understanding the interconnection between an organized desk and control over work life. A disorderly desk puts the brain out of focus and impairs decision-making ability. This can be avoided by following the simple habits mentioned below.

Back to Basics: ABCDE of the Declutter

Let us understand how we can minimize the clutter and maximize productivity using the ABCDE method.

1. A Systematic Organization

Heard about a to-do list? The list that helps us plan our daily activities and keep track of our work hours? Great. You can use the to-do list system to organize your desk. List all the items on your work desk and prioritize them according to their most to least requirement frequency. This would help you eliminate unnecessary items from your desk. These could include outdated papers (kindly shred them to maintain privacy), unused or multiple extra stationery items, and personal items that are hoarding your working area.

        2. Be Proactive

Create a system where, at the end of the day, you clean out your desk and prepare for the next day. This should be followed up by a weekly deep digital cleanse for overall decluttering. A great example is an HR tech startup that provides their employees with detailed information on how to take care of their digital equipment – cleaning their laptops with fiber cloth every week and also steps to clean their work desks.

        3. Create a Clutter-Free Zone

If you are working on multiple projects, make sure to prioritize. Keep close the items related to the project you are currently working on. If you have a shared space, communicate with your co-workers politely to follow the same to have a harmonious workflow. Neuroscientists at Princeton have deduced that physical clutter in surroundings competes for your attention, resulting in decreased performance and increased stress.

        4. Digital Optimization

You can always have more binders, filing systems, and labeled items for your desk. But it is better to make use of cloud storage and have a more sustainable solution to heaps of paper and files.

        5. Enjoy

Train your brain to enjoy the time you spend decluttering and making your desk a neat, stress-free place to work. Cultivating the habit of keeping things in the right place, cleaning the desk, and disinfecting will go a long way.

These practices should be communicated properly and frequently through internal communication. A good way is to incentivize. A leading media company based in Andheri, Mumbai, celebrated ‘Swachhta Week’ and awarded medals to employees with the best maintained and clean desk setup. This would work as a positive reinforcement for employees and boost morale.

Unlocking the Potential of Working Together: Tips for HR

Now, let us discuss how HR can ensure that ‘desk detox’ is implemented effectively.

1. Initiate, Inform, & Implement: Conduct seminars and workshops or celebrate ‘Cleanliness Week’ to create awareness. It reflects the company's commitment to employees and the work environment.
2. Open Communication Doorways: HR and senior management can work on plans to encourage employees to seek help in designing better workflows. Employees may need assistance to reorganize their desks or to understand policies better in the beginning, which can be a team-building exercise among HR & employees.
3. Flexibility: A new mode of working should be encouraged to reduce desk clutter. Shared spaces, work-from-home, or hybrid work models can ensure employees are not cluttering their physical office space.
4. Regular Office Maintenance: Working with office cleaning management to have deep cleaning or even regular cleaning would help maintain office space. Creating more storage solutions would also encourage having more space to work.
5. Lead by Example: HR and senior management should show their commitment by maintaining their workspace. It would showcase the benefits of having a decluttered space and promote a healthy work environment.

All problems can be solved as long as they are communicated and worked out with a common goal in mind. A clear policy helps everyone feel more included and work toward a shared vision. Setting up a decluttered desk is an absolute necessity to harness productivity in a work environment. The goal is to have a stress-free zone to let creativity flow. This is important to have a better work environment for an individual and also for the team.