Is your personal space in the office adorned with fluffy toys? Last year’s Christmas cards? Do you have three pairs of shoes peeking out from under your desk? Hand creams, body lotions, half eaten packets of crisps, half dead plants lurking about? Is your deck covered in bits of paper all the time?
Clear your space! Particularly if you are in client facing roles. Be aware that people make judgments, albeit subconsciously, all the time. In most people’s minds, a disorderly desk is a sign of a disorderly mind. On the flip side- have you noticed that the people higher up on the food chain most often have clear spaces, tidy desks? Which came first- the clear desk, then the promotion or the other way around? Is the person who is so attached to their childhood that they can’t bear to leave the “Hello Kitty” dolls behind them really ready for a big management role?
So today- look at your desk through the eyes of a stranger or your boss and see what your desk is saying about you.