Office Clutter: Contributing to Internal Struggles or a Sign You are a Genius?

Do you clean up your desk or workspace each day or do you find that clutter and mess build up, even to the point of overflowing? Many people have differing opinions about the situation. Some believe that having a messy desk indicates internal struggle in one part of your life while others believe it's a sign of creative thinking that allows for thinking outside the box. Whichever side is right will vary from person to person, but we all know that feeling overwhelmed by too much clutter at any given time is no way to operate efficiently!

A Messy Office May Indicate Personal Turmoil

People who tend to live their lives in chaos often have trouble with procrastination and the inability to commit, feel overwhelmed and anxious all the time. They usually give up before they even begin working on projects. Their money is wasted, and time goes to waste; they feel stuck and bad about themselves. If you're such a person, think about how you would feel if you entered your messy room. Would it feel heavy or difficult to breathe? Would you notice a change in energy? For myself, I clearly observe how my entire being changes as soon as I open that door because it's like immediately wanting to turn around and close it again.

When a Messy Desk Spurs Creativity

Some very significant geniuses were famous for working in messy quarters. Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Steve Jobs are just three such brilliant minds who could be creative and change the world in a messy environment. In fact, Einstein is credited with this quote, "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?"

Researchers at the University of Minnesota studied the messy vs clean desk conundrum and published their findings in Psychological Science. Their subjects were divided into two groups: One group filled out questionnaires in a clean, tidy environment while the second group filled out their questionnaires in a messy environment.

Those in the clean surroundings tended to do good things, such as eat healthier foods, donate to charity, and basically do what was expected of them. However, all was not lost on those who filled out their questionnaires in a messy environment.

In a separate experiment, researchers asked participants to develop new uses for a ping pong ball. Again, two groups participated and brainstormed, one in a clean environment and the other in a messy room. While both groups developed new ideas, those who sat in a messy room contributed more innovative and creative ideas according to impartial judges.

So, which is Better: Messy or Clean?

So, what did we actually learn from this? The answer is to work in the environment that best suits you. I know, that’s boring, but your productivity is based upon your own work habits and your abilities to tune out distractions. When it comes to getting organized, it’s about what works for you. If you know where everything is among your 20 piles of paper, don’t stress over it.

While we can’t say that there is one type of office environment that is better than the other, we can say that there are definitely benefits to either, depending on how you work.

Whether you have a messy office or a clean office environment, there are ways to keep your workspace organized.  If you’re interested in learning more about how to improve your office environment, feel free to contact us anytime. We’d love to help!