Do these words sound familiar? “I don’t have enough time to clear off my desk because I am absolutely swamped at work!” or “There is a method to my madness and each pile has a purpose.” Did you know that your clutter is most likely the primary reason that you feel “swamped”? Or that your “purposeful piles” actually contribute to your mental madness?
It turns out that clutter has a profound affect on our mood and self-esteem. At least that’s what researchers at UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives and Families (CELF) discovered when they explored in real time the relationship between 32 California families and the thousands of objects in their homes. CELF’s anthropologists, social scientists, and archaeologists found a link between high cortisol (stress hormone) levels in female home owners and a high density of household objects. The more stuff we keep, the more stress we feel.
So taking time (even a day or two) to de-clutter your office and cull through those piles, is actually time well spent, as your mood will improve and your productivity will increase. If you stop just 2X times per day for fifteen minutes to de-clutter, you can:
1) Cull your working email list down to ten (10) messages
2) Tackle one pile at a time, filing your “keepers” and tossing the rest
(stock up on manila & hanging file folders)
3) Clear away any used coffee mugs or lunchtime debris
4) Claim a spot labeled “take home” and do so nightly
5) Do not decorate your office like you would your living room or bedroom – it can add to your clutter and is not professional
Need help with de-cluttering your work and your mind? Call FutureSYNC International at (406) 254-2326 to speak with a consultant.
Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/blog/home-improvement/clutter-depression/##ixzz3WgX3o7Bu