Professional Development

Take your messy desk all the way to the corner office

There are two schools of thought around messy desks,

and interestingly they both have to do with the mind:

1. A clear desk is a sign of an empty mind.
2. A messy desk is a sign of a cluttered mind.

These two popular sayings make it clear that your desk is (at least perceived) as an extension of you, of your mind, of your organization, of your life. In fact, 67% of our co-workers are in some way judging us for our messy desks, according to an Ajilon study.

But, what if you’re just naturally messy? What if you actually thrive on a cluttered work space? Will you be deemed as an unorganized, incompetent fool just because of a few stacks of paper? Or, will people see past the clutter and see you for the professional you really are?

Diagnosing the mess

The first step is diagnosing your mess. Is it worth fighting for or is time to clean up your act?

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Are you able to easily locate items in your mess?
2. Would your co-workers agree that when they ask for a specific piece of paper on your desk you can find it quickly as if it had been filed in the drawer?
3. Do you feel more organized in clutter than with files?
4. Do you have a system of order even though your desk looks like chaos?
5. Would professional contacts not familiar with your office mess, such as external customers, assume that your desk was clean and neatly organized based on your high level of professionalism and organizational level when communicating with them?

If you answered yes to all five questions, congratulations! You’re creatively organized. That’s right. Not messy. Creatively organized. Try it out.

If you answered no to these questions, you’re probably just lazy and it’s time to clean your desk. Your clutter is not controlled and therefore is probably hurting you and your professional reputation. Clean it up.

If you’re new to the organization, it doesn’t matter how you answered the questions; try your best to keep it clean. During your first 90 days, you’re being heavily scrutinized for all aspects of your job. Keep your desk as clean and clear as possible (trust me, I know this is hard for you if you’re not naturally a neat freak). Don’t let your desk stand in the way of building a solid reputation. Once you’re established, read on to find out how you can have your messy desk and the corner office, too.

Don’t let your “creative organizational system” mess with your image

Your professional image is extremely important to your career, and unfortunately for those of us who are creatively organized, how we keep our office is a part of that. To many people, a messy desk is a sign of disorganization at best and complete incompetence at worst. So, if your desk is the messiest in the office, you’ve got some work to do to counteract the negativity that goes along with clutter.

Look Clean

If your desk appears to be out of control, your look should be extremely put together. I don’t want to sound like an etiquette book, but pay special attention to the details of your appearance – hair, clothes, nails, shoes. You should look impeccable, even if your office looks anything but.

Be Confident

Other people pick up on your confidence. If you’re confident and prepared, people will take notice. Your confidence will overpower any strewn about paper.

Do Your Job Well

If you’re performing extremely well at your job, it’s a lot harder for management to harp on you for something as inconsequential as your messy desk. At the same time if your work is less than stellar, your desk will most likely end up being a huge source of contention.

Watch It

Don’t let your creative organizational system get out of control. Every once in a while, you’ll need to straighten up. If your cubicle is as an unofficial stop of the company tour because of the piles of paper to the ceiling and you have to jump over the desk to get to your chair, you’re probably getting a rap you don’t want.

Be Proud

A lot of people hate clutter. They can’t possibly understand that your messy desk really is organized. They don’t get that you’re more productive with your piles and they help you think clearer and more creatively. They’re wired differently. That, combined with a general stigma against messiness, may cause coworkers to act less than friendly toward your mess. Stay strong. Explain that you actually have a system, it just doesn’t look like theirs.

Be Smart

If you’re dealing with sensitive data, leaving it strewn about your desk is probably not the best idea. If your main business involves customers visiting your office, it’s probably best to keep as clean and clear as you can. Be smart about your creative organizational system. If something should be filed away in the drawer, file it.

Why don’t you just clean it?

If you’re wondering right now if it’s just easier to clean your desk and keep it clean, then you don’t truly understand what it means to be naturally creatively organized. It’s not really a choice you make to be messy. It’s a choice you make to file it all away and keep your desk clear. There are actually benefits to having a creatively organized desk. Many people find it stimulating and helpful to be surrounded by their work. If you’re not one of these naturally messy people, I encourage you to keep an open mind when dealing with those who are.

Have your messy desk and your CEO office, too

It’s unfortunate that messy desks (and their owners) get such a bad rap. But, fear not: Messy people can be just as successful as neat freaks. According to a New York Times article, “Studies are piling up that show that messy desks are the vivid signatures of people with creative, limber minds (who reap higher salaries than those with neat “office landscapes”)…”

You may have to push a little harder and be a little smarter, but there’s no reason why you can’t be the CEO and have a creatively organized desk. Use your creative talents to get there.

photo credit: elliottcable

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