What Your Desk Says About You

You can spend 40 hours a week at your desk, so it can become like a second home. At that second home, co-workers stop by to chat, and supervisors drop off assignments. You work, you snack, you snooze (just kidding). With so much activity centered around that little table, it’s no wonder business associates come to conclusions about you with a three second glance into your cubicle.

So what are these associates thinking?

There are two schools of thought on what your desk says about you. 1) A messy desk equals a messy mind.  2) A tidy desk equals too much time. Personally, I believe both these answers are correct.

A work space filled with mounds of paperwork, chotskies from the past eight conferences you attended, and so many Post-It notes that your boss thinks you painted your desk yellow, sends the signal you are scattered, unorganized, and unable to keep up with assigned tasks. However, a desk that is spotless, with the stapler and tape dispenser angled at an exact 65 degrees, may illustrate a stronger focus on organization rather than the organization itself. Or even worse, that you are too rigid and inflexible to handle the least amount of chaos.

Find the perfect medium that showcases both productivity and punctuality. Create a desk environment that demonstrates your abilities to multi-task in an organized and flexible way. Allow your business associates, supervisors, and co-workers to see you are the total package.

All this attention toward a desk may seem overkill, but never underestimate the power of your professional image and what tools can help or hurt you. Cover all your bases, cubicle and all.