How the structure can help you avoid cleaning
Datum: 2025-10-01 08:41
You need to declutter your workspace from time to time — or at least you feel the need to declutter, clean, or clear things out. There is just so much of everything that it is hard to find what you need.
As you are looking for something, you happen to see another thing and then think of a third thing you should either do or deal with, which derails your attention completely. Not at all what you wanted right now…
By “thing”, I am referring to things such as documents (in both digital and physical format) and information such as an email or a note regarding things you simply must not forget to do.
For you who prefer listening to reading, this post is also available as an episode of the ""Done!"" podcast:
Strengthen your structure
But, who has the time to tidy things up when you are busy meeting deadlines and attending meetings? Many do not prioritize it and some even believe it to be a waste of time to clean. One might even blame the clutter and the sheer volume of it on the structure and claim that this is the problem behind the mess. But if the way you have structured your work results in that you need to clean from time to time, there may be room for some improvement.
Do this
If you want to clean and tidy things up a little less frequently than you do now,
- Have a look at the place where things have just gotten out of hand and there is too much clutter. What do you see? What does the pile or place contain?
- Think about why it is there when instead it could have been empty, clutter-free, and tidy. I am guessing it is probably due to one of two reasons (or both)
- there is no specific, well-thought-out place for it
- it is so cumbersome to put the thing in its designated place that it is (at the moment) easier to just leave or put it where it is now — just for a while (which, let’s be honest, means it gets left there)
- Pick one of the things you have found in the place or pile you are looking at and decide what a better place might be for it instead.
- Mark or label the place so it is easy to remember later what you thought and decided now. Name the folder clearly, put a physical label on it, or do something else that is appropriate.
- If there is already a designated place, find a way to make it easier for you to find it and save what was left in the wrong place where it is supposed to go immediately instead. Create a shortcut, move the location closer, name the place even more clearly, or whatever you need so you do not have to wonder what belongs there.
- You have now improved your structure one small, but concrete, notch. Choose another thing that is clearly in the wrong place and put it where it is now supposed to go if you have the time or decide on a convenient time in the near future when you will get rid of the rest of the clutter you want to get rid of.
Less searching, fewer distractions
If you do not just tidy up a little and sporadically when you feel like it, but also work on eliminating the reasons for the mess occurring in the first place, your space will not get messy as often. Less clutter in your life means more time and focus for other things. By having more order in your work life in general, which means you will find what you need faster and avoid losing momentum, you will be less distracted by things that get in the way when you want to do other more urgent and important things instead.
How do you do it?
What are your tricks for avoiding clutter? Maybe you have a method or a rule of thumb you would like to share with me? If so, feel free to write to me and share!
(The desk isn’t always the only thing that could use a little decluttering. Have you also looked at clearing out ideas from your to-do list?)
You can get more!
If you want more tips on how to create good structure at work, there are many ways to get that from me - in podcasts, videos, books, talks and other formats.
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