Sensible Organizing Solutions

Clean Up Your Desk – Literally
There are a lot of good reasons to clean your desk, but the facts below may just be the most motivating ones ever!

Did you know the average desk has over 400 times more bacteria on it than the average toilet?

Ewwwwwwww… gross, right?

Most of us clean our toilets regularly because we are well aware of all the nasty bacteria that can reside there. But how often do we wipe down all the surfaces and gadgets on our desks?
— whistling while waiting                    

Ah… that’s what I thought. Not often enough.

Countless times, we pick things up, drop stuff on the floor, then put it back on the desk. We eat while we work, transferring food to the keyboard, the phone, the stapler, and … ewwwwwwww.

Those nasty little bacterium are lurking everywhere!!!

At this point you may be asking yourself …
So, what does this have to do with productivity?

Such a good question. And here’s the answer:

(deep breath in)

If we’re heading into cold and flu season – which judging by the yellowing trees, drop in temperature outside (finally!) and the sudden appearance of holiday commercials on television leads me to believe we are – Our uncleaned desks are a potential source of germs… making us susceptible to catching colds and/or flus. If we are too sick to be able to work to our potential, this has plenty to do with productivity.

How well do you function when you’re feeling under the weather?

Good health and productivity are very much related. When you feel good, you are more focused and get more done.

Clean up your desk and everything on it. Even down to those pens you’ve got in the container on your desk (they are in their containers, aren’t they?). And don’t forget about your keyboard. Remember to shut down your technology before wiping down all that bacteria with cleaning solution.

Clean up your desk – stay healthy – get more done.

Jana Hartwell, CPO
Sensible Organizing Solutions