Creating a Productive and Relaxing Workspace – Anywhere

Getting distracted at work? Don’t let your productivity falter at the expense of your stress! Your workplace may not be nurturing a healthy, productive, and clean workspace for you to focus on what you need to do. 

In this list, we’ll show you how to declutter workspace items so you can stay cool under pressure, despite all those deadlines! Here are 8 ways you can create a productive yet relaxing workspace regardless whether you work in your office or at home:

How to Declutter the Office?

1. Take Away Everything from Your Desk

First, take all your items away from your desk. Your desk should be completely clear for you to start decluttering. Keep all your items in a box or container in the meantime, and do the same per drawer as well. Throw away any trash pieces, and sanitize your desk with some rubbing alcohol or a disinfectant wipe. 

2. Categorize Items One by One

Take each item one at a time. Categorize them first into two boxes: one box for the things you still need, and one box for things you can store away. This way, you can narrow down your organizing list into two smaller ones. 

Alternatively, you can also categorize the items based on importance, using multiple boxes or containers to separate the items. Whichever way you choose to do the organization, categorizing these items will help break down the tasks you need to accomplish.

3. Store Away Files that are No Longer Needed

Those files and records from projects finished long ago have no place on your desk. Store them away in labeled folders and boxes for safekeeping, and place them in alphabetical order for easy searching later on if you need to refer back to those files. Shred files that have no importance to your work at all, and be sure to blur out any sensitive information. 

4. Keep Immediate Files in a Convenient Location

Files that you are working on, or would need to refer to in the near future should be right within arms’ reach. Delegate a file cabinet, drawer, or desktop space for these files for convenience as you get back to them from time to time. This will help in minimizing the time spent searching for lost files, and you can easily get your references immediately. 

5. Create a Minimalist Space

A minimalist space has only the essentials you need to get your work done, and nothing else. You would often have standard office supplies such as staplers, printing papers, a desktop computer or laptop, pens, memo pads, and other regular supplies needed for your work. 

Avoid overcrowding your desk with personal belongings. You should only have 2-3 personal items on your desk, if any. The general rule is that if you can’t find the specific item you need from your desk within two seconds, then your desk is overcrowded. Clear away as many items as possible. Your desk is where you work, keep it minimal!

6. Organize Your Cables

Your charges and device cables can entangle and get into a mess that you’ll never clear up in the future until something goes wrong with your devices. Get ahead of that tangle by organizing your cables using binder clips, hooks, or wall-mounted cable organizers to make sure you don’t damage your computer cables, printer wires, or phone chargers.

7. Store Books Spine Side Out

Does your home office or onsite office have a lot of books that you need to refer to every now and then? Or do you like spending your free time reading the next bestselling book from your favorite author? Store your books by size, alphabetically, or by book number as you prefer, but the most important thing is to store books spine side out so you can read the titles immediately.

8. Add Lights and Plants

This tip is less of organizing, more of decorating, but it will surely create a wondrous working space for you! Adding lights and plants to your office will create a relaxing yet nurturing feeling in your workspace, so you can be more productive. You’ll find that you feel sleepy much less, de-stress often, and gain more energy to finish your tasks for the day!