Clean Your Desk, Clear Your Life

Many of us spend a lot of time at a desk.

Whether your desk is in a corner office with a view, in a row of cubicles or in a crowded corner at home, chances are good that you haven’t given a lot of thought to how your office space is arranged.  Even if your office is not your ideal, you don’t have to feel that you’re stuck with it.

There are small changes you can make to any workspace that will make it a more enjoyable and productive place to work.

The first place to start is by looking at the amount of clutter in your workspace.

Unless you’re diligent about keeping things neat, it’s easy to end up with a workspace that’s full of clutter.

The proliferation of communication methods has made it easier to communicate, but it’s also increased the amount of information to track.  Post-it notes, documents and email printouts are great ways to keep on top of deadlines and commitments, but it’s easy for this paperwork to start taking over your desk.

When the paperwork starts to push you out of your workspace and your productivity is suffering, it’s time to declutter your desk.

Here’s a roadmap to follow:

1. Start by making a clean sweep of your desk.  Remove everything that’s portable, then put back only the items you use the most – i.e., phone, keyboard, mouse.
2. Sort the clutter.  Go through the clutter you just removed from your desk.  Trash the things you no longer need and file the rest. Try to do this quickly and don’t waste time lingering over each piece of paper or publication.  If you don’t have an organized filing system, now’s the time to set one up.  Get in the habit of filing things away when you’re done with them.
3. Use a single notebook or pad of paper to keep track of to-do lists, meeting minutes and phone calls.  Think of it as your work journal.  You may want to use an online app or computer tool instead, but the portability and easy access of a notebook makes it a low-tech solution that never goes out of style.
4. Keep your bulletin board clutter-free. Check it regularly for outdated items and remove them.  By only displaying meaningful items, your bulletin board will be a useful tool instead of a catchall.  If you have a whiteboard, clean it regularly.  Markings that are left on the board too long will become permanent.
5. Make a habit of clearing your desk each night. This will let you start the day with a clean desk and a clean slate.  If you’re in the middle of a project at the end of the day, make some notes to refresh your mind when you return to it and then file it away.  Beginning each day with a clean desk will give you an entirely new perspective.

Once you’ve decluttered your desk, remember that keeping it clutter-free is a habit that you’ll have to establish.  Just as you have to keep exercising to stay in shape, you’ll need to spend a little time each day sorting through your paperwork and either tossing it or filing it.  Take the same approach with your email.  As your inbox fills up each day, delete the messages you’ve read and don’t need to keep.  Save important email messages in folders. Or, just kill your email all together.

Now that you have a plan for clearing your desk of clutter, it’s time to look at the ergonomic aspects of your workspace.  How comfortable are you at your desk?  Does your chair provide the proper back support?  At the end of the day, do you have aches and pains?   Physical pain that’s caused by your chair or desk height can lead to chronic injuries over time, so it really pays to make some changes and replace any problem furniture.

The next ergonomic considerations should be your mouse and keyboard.

Does your keyboard leave you enough room to easily maneuver your mouse?  Are you able to position your arm so that you can use the mouse without straining?  If not, try to rearrange your desk and remove any obstacles to the ideal keyboard and mouse setup.  Pain from improper mouse use is another problem that can build over time and end up causing a chronic condition – it pays to do everything possible to avoid it.

The final ergonomic issue is the lighting in your workspace.

Is there enough light?  Too much light can actually be a problem if it causes a glare on your monitor screen.  If glare is a problem, first investigate using your computer screen settings to modify your screen’s brightness and contrast.  If there’s too much ambient sunlight in your office, the solution may be as simple as using blinds to filter light coming in from a window.  If there’s too much overhead lighting, try using a desk lamp instead.

Once you’ve taken care of the clutter and solved your ergonomic issues, it’s time to put the personal touch back into your workspace.  Position a few personal items on your desk, but don’t get carried away.  A couple of framed photos and a plant should be enough to add a calming touch.  Lots of gadgets, toys or office supplies will just contribute to desktop chaos and can end up being a distraction.

One of the hardest parts about creating a clutter free and comfortable workspace is taking the first step towards getting it done.  It’s easy to procrastinate or feel too busy to tackle your office clutter.  Instead of trying to do the entire job at once, approach it as a series of small changes.  As your workspace becomes more organized, the odds are very good that you’ll find yourself becoming more productive.  Creativity and focus are easier to tap into when you workspace is clear and clutter-free.

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”  Albert Einstein

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Discover the Effortless Power of “Flow”

Have you ever ridden down a steep hill on a bicycle?  You most likely found that all of your focus was on the bike, the wind rushing past, and the road beneath you.  The experience was purely exhilarating and there was no room for doubt or anxiety.

What do successful artists, chess players and athletes have in common with that downhill bike ride?  According to psychologists who study human creativity and happiness, they know how to focus on an enjoyable activity and tap into this feeling of exhilaration on a regular basis.

Psychologist Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi has given a name to experiences which are characterized by this energized type of focus – “flow.”  The name is a metaphor for the sense of effortless action that comes with intense focus.  Immersion in almost any activity can bring flow.  Even work can lead to moments of flow when we learn to focus on the aspects of the job that we enjoy most.

More than the pursuit of pleasure or possessions, successive periods of flow make up a happy life. Concentrating on an activity to the extent that time and the self is forgotten, we feel that we have become part of something greater.   According to Csíkszentmihályi, “Moments such as these provide flashes of intense living against the dull background of everyday life.”

For some people flow occurs naturally; the rest of us have to work at it.  Here are some thoughts on how you can bring more flow into your life.

• Flow occurs most often in activities that have a clear set of goals and responses. Examples of this type of activity include chess, poker and tennis.  When you’re immersed in one of these games, you feel yourself reacting to decisions almost instinctively.  Outside of the arena of games, composing a piece of music or writing a computer program are activities that provide the clear goals and responses that lead to a feeling of flow.

• Flow can occur at work when the job has clear goals and rules of performance. In his research studies on flow, Csíkszentmihályi has found that it’s easier to experience flow at work than during leisure activities.  Maybe this is because work is usually more challenging than non-work activities.  Also, there are usually more opportunities to concentrate at work and the product of one’s effort is more likely to be rewarded.

• Structure your leisure time around flow. Hobbies, sports and exercise are far more likely to provide a sense of flow than time spent watching television.  It may seem easier to watch television, and there’s nothing wrong with unwinding by just doing nothing, but expending some effort in a meaningful activity will bring more happiness in the long run.

• Recognize the potential for flow in social activities. Most of us have had the experience of “clicking” with another person and of engaging in a conversation that we remember long after.  When this happens, we are in the social flow.   Interacting in relationships with people who have similar goals to our own can bring a sense of flow.  Paying attention to the goals of others and then sharing our related experiences and feelings can create a social atmosphere that invites flow.

Even though flow is often achieved at work, many people are unable to realize the benefits of flow on the job because of external forces like stress or boredom.  Csíkszentmihályi has some suggestions for taking a new approach to work.

• Transform a routine job by finding something to focus on. A clerk can make a goal of providing the best customer service, a teacher can decide to help those students most in need, and an engineer can attempt to streamline a design process.  These are a few examples of how to find flow by creating focus.

• Add excitement to a dull job by creating challenges. Examine different parts of the job and try to do it better or faster.  Instead of spending time trying to avoid work, expend the same energy in trying to do the best job possible.  When approached with a sense of personal mission, even the most tedious and boring job can bring a sense of flow.

• Reduce on-the-job stress. Stress can occur at work when disorganization or interruptions make it impossible to achieve a sense of accomplishment and flow.  Deal with these issues by making to-do lists and delegating work if possible.  If some tasks seem insurmountable or unknown, get help or training so that they can be tackled.

What are some of the biggest deterrents to being able to experience flow?  Factors such as an unhappy childhood, poverty and poor health can make it hard for a person to see life as a joyful experience.  Yet there are people who deal with seemingly insurmountable problems and maintain a positive outlook.

The ability to control one’s focus is critical when it comes to dealing with life’s problems.  Some people focus on suffering, others learn to live with it and turn their focus elsewhere.

Control over your focus is something you can practice.  When engaged in an activity, whether it’s something simple like washing the dishes or something more complex like doing your taxes, give it your full attention.  You can also give yourself more time for flow by working out your schedule to include more time for activities that you really enjoy.  An occasional change in your surroundings and routines can also help give you a new perspective and encourage flow.  Taking a vacation or redecorating your workplace can give you a new way of looking at your life and go a long way towards helping you to identify what you really enjoy doing.

Csíkszentmihályi suggests that as we search for goals that will allow us to focus our attention and achieve a sense of flow, we need to choose goals which will produce some good in the world.  He calls flow a “source of mental energy,” an energy that must be used for constructive purposes.  He encourages us to develop a sense of serious playfulness that will make it possible to be both focused and free at the same time.

According to Buddhism, we should “act always as if the future of the universe depended on what you did, while laughing at yourself for thinking that whatever you do makes any difference.”

Flow: The Psychology of Experience by Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi. If you are interested in reading this fascinating book which I have discussed in this post, simply click on the book image and you will be taken to Amazon.com where you can read reviews and more about this book. Definitely a must read.

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My question for you…

Tell me about what you do to get into “flow” in YOUR life.

13 Ways to Spark Intense Creativity

One of the things that really sets humans apart from the other animals on this planet is our capacity for creative thought.

Not only is it a necessity for the advancement of the species (after all, someone had to come up with the idea for harnessing the power of fire), but it brings us a lot of enjoyment, too.  Why else would we spend so much of our time and energy reading books, decorating our homes, or listening to music?

It can be argued that creativity is something that is divinely inspired, that some people “have” it and some people don’t.

The fact of the matter is that we all possess the ability to think creatively. Sometimes, however, we need a little spark to get us started.  (Just like the person who decided to bring fire into the cave!)

“The world is but a canvas to the imagination.”  Henry David Thoreau

Whether you’re trying to stretch your limits or you’ve just found yourself with a bit of a mental block, here are several exercises that can help get your creative juices flowing.

1. Brainstorm. When faced with a challenge, solutions can seem hard to come by.  Let yourself see that this isn’t truly the case by writing your problem at the top of a piece of paper and then coming up with 30 ways to solve it.  These are just quick, bite-sized ideas, not fully developed plans.  Sure, 30 is a big number, but what you’ll find is that once you’ve covered the obvious stuff, your brain will start coming up with more and more creative approaches.  Some of them will be unrealistic, but don’t censor yourself until your list is complete, and then you can go back and evaluate each item.

2. Change your approach. If you’re sitting in front of the computer trying to write the next Great American Novel but just can’t seem to get a handle on the words, you may find that you’re pushing too hard in one direction.  Look to other forms of expression to motivate yourself.  Trying to write a song? Instead of listening to music, head out to the local art museum for some visual stimulation.  Having trouble with graphic design?  Go to the symphony and let yourself be inspired by a completely different art form.

3. Draw a mind map. Mind maps are a great way to generate new ideas because you start thinking in different directions.  Begin by writing your challenge in the center of a sheet of paper.  (There are several online tools that can help you do this, too.)  Surround this word or phrase with related thoughts.  As you do so, you may find that you want to delve into one or more of them more deeply.  Continue by surrounding the new phrases with related thoughts.  By the end, you’ll often find that you’ve come up with solutions that would never have occurred to you if you hadn’t made these seemingly random connections.

4. Check out other industries. If you keep doing things the way they’ve always been done, then that doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for growth.  Why not see how other businesses/companies/industries do things and determine what ideas you can bring back to your own endeavors?  It’s worked for Amazon and Zappos, so why not for you?

5. Free write. Most of us have an internal editor who constantly critiques our thoughts and ideas.  Shut this guy up by sitting down with a piece of paper and writing stream-of-consciousness style for three minutes.  Don’t take time to fix your grammar or spelling, as those things give that internal editor the opportunity to nay-say.  Just write everything that flows out of your mind on your particular topic.  When three minutes is up, you may discover ideas you never realized were rattling around in your brain.  Another alternative is to do a “brain dump,” where you write everything you’re thinking about on a sheet of paper so you can get it out of your head and move on to focusing on the actual problem.

6. Use an online idea generator. This one from Idea Champions is called “Jump Start.”  You enter your problem or challenge in the form of a question that starts with “How can I?”  Then you click the button, and it generates a list of adjectives to help you answer that question in new ways.  It then helps you to brainstorm ideas, as well as to uncover the “underlying principle.”

7. Ask for suggestions. Do you Twitter?  Facebook?  Blog?  Use a phone?  All of these are great ways to reach out to other creative people in order to tap into some great ideas.  A writer friend of mine recently named a character in her romance novel based on suggestions sent to her via Twitter.

8. Start at the end. We often get so hung up on how to solve our problems that we become paralyzed.  Avoid this by taking a “backwards” approach to problem solving.  Start by imagining what things would look like if the problem was already solved.  Once you have a good mental representation, back up one step and determine what was the very last step that would have needed to happen for you to get to that outcome.  Then, back up again to figure out what you would need to do to reach the step that you just imagined.  Keep going until you’ve backed up to your current point, and you’ll have a step-by-step list of how to get to your desired outcome.

9. Become an idea collector. When you come across quotes, pictures, and other snippets that inspire you, write them down, cut them out, or capture them in some other way.  Compile these ideas where you can browse through them from time to time for inspiration.  Some people put them in binders, some pin them to bulletin boards, and other go all arts-and-crafts and create a scrapbook-style idea book.

10. Be someone else. When you have a challenge that just seems insurmountable, imagine what you would do if you were someone else.  Don’t have enough money for that great new gadget you want to buy?  Consider how your favorite athlete might solve that problem.  What would you do if you were a child?  Heck, how would you solve your dilemma if you were a dog?  This is especially effective if you put yourself into the mindset of someone you really admire and respect.

11. Reword the challenge. Continuing with the earlier example, we can say that the challenge is not having enough money for a new gadget.  Consider changing your perspective to see if there is a different problem you could be solving.  In this case, the problem might be “I want the newest gadget.”  Looking at it from that perspective, you may discover that you can solve your problem by finding a comparable product that costs less or even buying a refurbished one.

12. Cube the challenge. This exercise allows you to come at your challenge from multiple directions.  For each problem or challenge, take the time to do the following:  Describe it, compare it, associate it, analyze it, apply it, and argue for and against it.  This can be extremely helpful in showing you where patterns occur in order to get to the true heart of your challenge so that you can solve it.

13. Carry a notepad. Creativity isn’t just about solving problems and meeting challenges.  Sometimes it is all about capturing a good idea that you can use later on down the road.  Keeping a small notepad or voice recorder gives you a way to preserve those great ideas so that you can pull them out and dust them off at a time when you can give them more attention.

While creativity is certainly a natural ability, it also needs to be nurtured, and occasionally encouraged, in order to develop.  Using these ideas can be a great way, not just to solve a particular problem, but also to open up your mind to allow more creative thoughts to flow through you.

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What methods or secrets do you use to spark creativity in your life?

I would love to hear your answers. Feel free to comment below or if you liked this article, I would appreciate you sharing it on StumbleUpon or Twitter. Thanks!

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