9 Science-Backed Ways How To Organize Your Office Desk To Boost Productivity
- Updated on: July 16, 2024
Luxafor offers a wide range of productivity gadgets that are designed to help people eliminate distractions and create a conducive and productive workspace for focused work or studies enabling professionals to accomplish more and enhance their overall well-being.
Is your desk the most productive workspace in the world? Probably not. Study shows that the average American spends only 2 hours 23 minutes doing actual work at the desk while reading news sites, checking social media, and chatting with co-workers takes up just as much time.
Somehow, out of all the places where people tend to think about business-related matters – the coffee shop, the bed, or the desk – the latter seems to be the least inviting to get your hustle on. According to a 2018 survey, 65% of workers think they would be more productive working from home compared to a traditional office environment.
But even if you’re getting down to business in the comfort of your home office, you’ve got to admit that your surroundings, and especially your desk have a huge impact on your productivity. How are you going to make those bucks if you just can’t focus on sitting at your own desk?
Here are our 9 simple and science-backed tips to redesign your workspace so that it becomes your main inspiration for productive work and steady focus.
1. Befriend plants
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You don’t have to be a vegan or a hippie activist to know that plants do so much good for our environment. The same applies to our indoor habitats where we spend most of our days. Besides purifying the air and keeping your lungs clean and head fresh, the potted greens reduce stress and are actually amazing productivity boosters.
Researchers at the University of Exeter found that simply enriching a plain and minimal office setting with plants helped to increase productivity by 15%.
The conclusion that green offices were found to house happier and more productive workers is a strong argument to bring in some greenery into our workspaces. Moreover, potted plants are a simple and excellent way to decorate your desk, which, in turn, will lighten up your spirits.
If you’re not exactly endowed with green fingers, you can always go for low-maintenance options like succulents, aloe vera, parlor palm, or dracaena.
2. Organize your clutter
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This isn’t probably that big of a surprise, but for those who need reinforcing – newsflash!
– You can’t be your most productive self if you spend 15 minutes every day looking for your stapler. A disorganized desk damages your productivity as much as it affects your colleagues, as these statistics reveal.
41% of the surveyed office workers believe that a tidy workspace is crucial to getting work done. Plus it can also increase your chances of promotion.
Not only that by the time you retire, you’ll have wasted days of your precious life searching for missing items, but excess clutter on your desk can also be accountable for your stress levels. In other words, you shouldn’t let a messy desk slide. In the long run, it can cause mental overload and make your habits of unproductive procrastination worse.
That being said, it’s not that you should keep your desk stripped of any items. The key to an organized desk is a system. Designate a particular spot for pens, stationery, post-it notes, folders, and documents. Make use of labeling to sort your documents.
At the end of the day, spend 3 minutes putting everything in place, and keep at least 80% of your desk visible. That way you’ll start your working day with an organized desk and mind.
3. Personalize to inspire yourself
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So isn’t it just easier to keep your desk free from any clutter and go the minimalist way? Well, your boss would probably want you to, and not just because they might judge you by your desk. In fact, many companies put limits on how many and what kind of personal items can be put on the employees’ desks.
The approach stems from several management theories, most widespread in the 90s, advocating that clean desks increase focus and productivity. It’s easy to follow the logic – if your workspace contains only the items necessary to fulfill a certain function related to your job, then you’ll be more likely to do what you need to do.
However, these strict and authoritative management theories go against recent studies.
Several studies found that personalizing our spaces, especially in an open office, helps us better cope with distractions and stress. Also gives us more control, and establishes a positive relationship between our identity and workplace.
In fact, having our personal items on desks motivates us to work harder, as “it lends a sense of identity to a workplace, in which we could otherwise feel like cogs in a machine,” says Craig Knight.
A psychologist and founder of a company that uses science to improve business performance.
Besides, warm beverages in your favorite mug and a hilarious picture of your friends will surely brighten your mood even on rainy Monday mornings. You’re working better when you’re in a good mood, it’s as simple as that.
Anyway, it all boils down to what you prefer and what helps you achieve your goals. If you find yourself being sidetracked by the bright red poster on the wall or obsessing about your puppy memorabilia, try to keep your workspace as fuss-free as possible.
However, if you’re more of a personalized knick-knack type of person, you probably want to put this quote by Einstein on your wall:
“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”
4. Isolate from distractions
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It’s not so much your personal things that distract you the most. It’s the sound and presence of other people. Studies show that staying attentive, reading and processing text, and working with numbers are impaired most by the background noise of irregular waves of speech. You may surely relate to how an odd cough or chitter-chatter might bother you, especially if you work in an open office space.
It has even been found that employees who lack privacy may suffer from higher stress and emotional exhaustion. If you can’t choose where you sit, take action to isolate yourself from the distracting background noise. For some, music doesn’t do the trick.
Daniel Levitin, a cognitive neuroscientist and the author of “This Is Your Brain on Music” revealed:
Music actually hinders your productivity levels unless you’re working on repetitive tasks.
In case you as well find music too distracting for important and rigorous tasks, take a look at these active noise-canceling headphones that make focusing on work way easier.
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Create boundaries if your coworkers are frequently disturbing you with conversations and non-work-related chit-chats. Building walls around your desk could help to avoid these distractions for a while.
But an easier and just as flashy option is a Luxafor Flag USB LED light. Simply set the color to red or a different color that signals – I’m busy. And politely escape from unnecessary conversations that damage your workflow.
5. Use colors that motivate you
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Speaking of color, it’s a well-known fact that color has a psychological impact on our mood and productivity. Most workplace designs use neutral, if not dull tones, which explains why we’re not very excited about working harder in such a setting.
According to color psychologists, the primary colors red, blue, green, and yellow make up all the other tones. Each has its own effect on our cognitive functions and is better suited to different situations. If you work in a physically demanding industry, such as tradesmen, personal trainers, or physical employees, choose red to enhance your productivity.
Calming blue makes communication easier and is brilliant for completing administrative tasks or projects that require maximum focus. Add a splash of contrast color orange if you need extra inspiration.
However, optimistic yellow energizes creativity and suits well as a productivity boost for innovators or entrepreneurs. Whereas green is perfectly suited if you perform your best in a calm working environment.
Although you probably don’t have the possibility to choose your desk or chair, let alone paint the walls, you can still bring in a splash of your favorite color to cheer you up. Choose a vibrant non-slip desk mat, brilliant planters for your potted plants, or a flamboyant mug that energizes you exactly the way you need it. Incorporate the colors that make you feel good into your decor and make your workspace your happy place.
6. Stay hydrated to avoid fatigue
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Coffee in a classy mug can surely lift your spirits, however, if you don’t want to lose your focus, don’t forget about water! There is a strong link between your water intake and your productivity levels. Even minor dehydration can cause tiredness, and when you’re drowsy, you’re more likely to drink coffee, which dehydrates you more, trapping you in a vicious cycle of overload and headaches.
Numerous reports show 75% of working Americans don’t drink the recommended 10 cups of water a day.
Knowing that most offices are well-equipped with water coolers means that it’s simply not as convenient, which begs for a better solution. Choose an eco-friendly reusable bottle and keep it on your desk as a continuous reminder to save time walking back and forth to the water cooler.
7. Think of your desktop as your desk
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A messy desktop filled with millions of files and unsorted folders will probably cause just as much stress as piles of paper on your desk. Plus, if you tend to name your documents quite randomly, eventually it’s going to backfire and you’re going to lose minutes, if not hours, of your productive time, searching for that one document called asfvhjg1.docx.
Again, develop a system of folders and subfolders and make use of clear and straightforward labeling. Designate your desktop as only a temporary place for file storing (temporary – meaning, days not months!), and at the end of the week put the unsorted files in their place. You can save yourself tons of time when you know where to find what you’re looking for.
Also, if your office rules allow it, set your desktop image to something inspiring. Create a mood board of your goals and dreams, find a beautiful image in soothing or energizing colors, put your favorite picture of your loved ones, or simply motivate yourself with a powerful quote – you can browse through this mega compilation of 143 motivational quotes for your work success.
It is easier to work towards a goal if you have it reminded to you every day.
But even if your desktop background is a photo of a zen garden, staring at the desktop is straining your eyes and can make you even more exhausted. Set a blue light filter on your desktop to avoid that and give your eyes a break.
8. Pick the best spot
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When it comes to doing your work properly and feeling good, proper lighting is essential. Different activities require different types of lighting. What works for a person who is editing or color-correcting videos will not work as well if you’re dealing with text or tedious sheets of numbers. Find out the right lighting for the job you perform and see how you can light up your space accordingly.
Natural light is also the key, as sunlight can greatly improve the cheeriness of the room. If you can choose where you work, try to pick a place that has a window in it. You can measure the lighting and other conditions crucial for productive work, like, noise, humidity, temperature, and CO2, with this sleek office gadget – Luxafor CO2 Monitor. It will tell you if your workspace achieves the conditions perfect for better health and higher productivity.
9. Don't underestimate a proper chair
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Think about it – you’re probably spending more time in your office chair than on your comfy home sofa. That’s why it is very important to choose a chair that is very comfortable. There is a clear link between uncomfortable chairs and productivity. Even more, a chair that causes discomfort to your back can lead to serious damage to your posture and surely interferes with your productivity.
Never underestimate a good ergonomic chair, even if it’s not as stylish as you’d like it to be. If your chair is causing you back pains, don’t hesitate to go to your office manager and ask for a change.
Also, don’t neglect physical activity. Take time to get up, stretch and go for a walk. There is also a trend called sit-to-stand working which is becoming popular among office workers.
It’s a method encouraging to do regular transitions between sitting and standing that helps to lower the risk of long-term health problems, readjust posture and regain energy, that way boosting productivity as well.
The bottom line
In general, the key to making your desk the place where you actually do meaningful stuff lies in making your workspace a bit happier. Although 66% of employees of in a recent survey admitted that they care about productive workplace design, not all employers take measures to design the office so that it becomes a place of motivation, not a place of experiencing existential dread.
Most offices are designed for the main purpose of getting work done, without prioritizing employee satisfaction.
And while it takes time to convince the corporate world how strongly our environment affects us and our professional output, you still have your desk that, we hope, you’re allowed to organize just the way you want. Try all that you can to make your office surroundings a more pleasant place, and with that kind of motivation, you’ll be able to achieve anything!
- Declutter: A clean space clears your mind.
- Organize: Everything has its place.
- Ergonomics: Invest in a comfortable chair and desk.
- Personalize: Add plants, photos, or inspiring items.
- Minimize distractions: Find a quiet spot or use noise-canceling tools.
- Optimize lighting: Natural light is best, but good artificial light works too.
- Take breaks: Short breaks boost focus.
Begin by removing everything from your desk, sorting items into "keep," "discard," and "relocate" piles.
Group items by function (office supplies, electronics, paperwork) or frequency of use.
