An Extra Hour Every Day

A clean desk will help you to clear your mind and it will also reduce searching time. Here I share a few tips on how to keep your desk clean:

• Use an inbox and an outbox

• Handle each incoming document only once

• In case of doubt about keeping it, throw it away (only be careful regarding legally required retention times for invoices, etc.)

• Do not print emails to read them

• In the beginning, schedule a time in your calendar to clean up your desk every day.

• Always clear your desk before you go home.

I think that there is no gradual way in getting to a clean desk policy. If you want to start practicing the first thing to do is to clean your desk. Over the day your desk might get covered with all kind of things again and then you have to repeat the cleaning exercise. Only over time the tips to keep your desk clean will become real habits, so that your desk remains beautiful.

Related articles:

• Clean desk policy template
• The only objects allowed on your desk
• Be selective in paper filing
• never put things on the floor
• how to identify and change bad habits
• Staple documents belonging together
• Filing of business cards received
• The dot method to clean your desk
• Put each document in a clear folder