Spring clean your office for a healthier workspace
A healthy dose of spring cleaning in your office can give you a renewed sense of productivity and set you up for healthier days at work.
If you work the average 40-hour week, you spend a lot of your life at your desk. And your desk sees a lot. There’s dust, crumbs from your lunch and maybe even a few spills here and there. And, if you’re working from home, your office might double as a spare bedroom or home gym, meaning more clutter could be lurking.
It’s not just your home that can benefit from a good cleaning. If your workspace looks worse for wear lately, a thorough spring cleaning can help.
Benefits of spring cleaning
Spring cleaning is good for you — in more ways than one. Sprucing up your personal area helps:
- Give you some exercise
- Improve air quality
- Boost your mood
Spring cleaning tips
To get going on your cleanup project, make a list. Write down the things that need to get done, like:
- Wiping down surfaces
- Dusting
- Vacuuming
- Cleaning out drawers
- Throwing out anything you no longer need
Use that list as a guide and get to work. As you get things done, check them off the list. And if you find other tasks for the to-do list, add them as needed.
“To stay on track of your spring cleaning, keep a master list in your phone or computer,” says Diana Jackson, director of care coordination and integration for Geisinger Health Plan.
After you’ve made your list, consider these tips to get moving.
One thing at a time
It may be tempting to do everything all at once. It can also be stressful. Rather than tackle the whole project in one fell swoop, do it in segments. Choose an item off your list and finish it. “Breaking up your cleaning into small chunks can make it more manageable,” says Ms. Jackson.
Set a timer
Finding the motivation to clean can be challenging. But setting a timer can make it easier. Decide on a set amount of time to devote to cleaning. That could be a few hours or a few minutes. Set a timer and get to work, focusing only on cleaning. Then when time is up, you can keep going or take a break. And you just might be surprised at how much gets done.
Quality over quantity
Because you spend so much time at work, it’s easy for personal items and mementos to pile up. To keep your space orderly, choose a few things that you really love or need to put on display. Think about the items you may not need and move them out of your area. And if you have multiples of the same item, consider paring down your collection. “It’s OK to like gel pens, but do you need them in every color?” says Ms. Jackson.
A place for everything
And everything in its place. Creating designated spots for items can help you stay organized. Consider keeping only the things you use regularly in plain sight. Move things you don’t often use to storage bins or put them in a cabinet or drawer.
Think about other types of clutter
We all have too much email, too many files and unused apps on our devices. “When you start your spring cleaning, don’t forget electronic clutter,” Ms. Jackson reminds.” Delete old files and anything you don’t use regularly. Clear out old messages in your inbox and unsubscribe from emails you don’t read. You can also set up filters so messages are moved to folders, where you can review them later.
Finally, if you’re overwhelmed at the thought of cleaning your workspace, it’s normal.
If you’re struggling with organizing your area, ask a friend or loved one to help. Put on some music and work together. Before you know it, your space will look better than ever.
Next steps:
Been sick recently? Your home could probably use a good deep clean.
Fresh produce: Don’t forget to wash it
Weekend ending? Don’t let the “Sunday scaries” get you down