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May 25, 2005
Are You a Messy-Desk Person?
When I read Norma's post on Monday, I took a good look around my desk and realized that I am in disorganization hell. No, seriously. The severely aged Post-its on my computer screen are beginning to huddle (are they plotting an escape?). The dried flowers on my desk (circa Valentine’s Day) blend right into the colorful mix of old mail, assignments and company paraphernalia. And I’m afraid to lean on anything other than my ballpoint-tortured wrist pad -- lest a hidden, uncapped writing instrument stab me.
But before I go on one of my rampant cleaning sprees, I take a moment to relish in my cluttered workspace. Then I do some research. And you know what? There are a whole lot of messy-desk people out there. And it is especially interesting to learn about the traits of these people when compared to those of non-messy office dwellers.
According to a recent study by Ajilon, messy-desk people (let’s call them MDP) tend to have higher salaries than non-MDP; specifically, while 66 percent of Americans making $35,000 or less per year are self-described neat freaks, only 11 percent of those earning above $75,000 claim the same. Also, the more educated tend to be messier; only 16 percent consider themselves neat, whereas the percentage for non-college graduates is 29.
Some other MDP-related findings, according to the study:
- 56 percent of women claim to keep their workspace organized, versus only 42 percent of men.
- Northeasterners are more organized than their Western, Central and Southern colleagues; 59 percent of them keep their spaces streamlined, versus 50 percent of those in the Central US, 48 percent of Southerners and 46 percent of Westerners.
- Whereas 60 percent of 18-24 year olds keep their spaces organized, only 36 percent of workers ages 55-64 claim the same.
The study also relates that your coworkers may be judging you based on your messiness; if you take three people sitting around you, for instance, one doesn’t care about your messiness, one will judge you for being messy and the last would say it depends on who you are.
Well, as good fun as a messy desk can be, I think mine’s about due for some cleaning. Let’s see. Sort, file, set space and purge (Ajilon’s suggested steps). I think I can handle that.
But don’t let the tidiness fool you; I’m still down with the MDP.
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Posted by Maya on May 25, 2005 at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (59) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
Now tell me... Is this a legitimate interview question? Is it okay for an organization to refuse to hire (or fire) someone because they are (or aren't) a "messy-desk person"?
Just curious.
BTW, I'm a modestly-messy-but-hate-to-be-too-messy-desk person. My email folders are another story.
-- Jack Krupansky
Posted by: Jack Krupansky | May 25, 2005 6:10:57 PM
I'm a messy desk person and I'll admit it. I know people judge me based on this--how can you not? It's like someone with wrinkled clothes, you can't help but see it. Even knowing this, I count on people knowing I'm a person that gets a project completed to overshadow what my desk looks like. On most days there are so many things that have much more urgent priority, that when it comes to getting one of those done or filing, filing always loses. It doesn't get something "marked off" my list. There are days I get to catch up, but on the many days where I've already worked 10-12 hours, I don't clean up-- I just leave and get home to my family.
Posted by: Deborah | Jun 5, 2005 7:29:44 PM
In neurolinguistics people learn from mostly three sensory modes. Those who have messy deks are probaly more tactile oriented. Which is my case. However if I file, I do not see what has to be done so I will tend to forget it. In about two weeks I will clear and sort things.
Once I worked as an assistant with a MDP. We had to find ways to learn each other's system. So if you have an assistant and that person needs to work with the stuff on your desk, she should have some kind of organization that both of you can work with. Dumping all in a drawer does not work.
The sign that says "a messy desk is the sign of a creative mind" can be countered with a neat desk is a sign of obsesive personality, or just boredom.
Posted by: Busybucket | Jun 7, 2005 12:11:59 PM
The messy desk thing has always baffled me. Anyone with a job is a mechanic of some sort. I would not take my truck to a slob for repairs if I percieved he had tools scattered from hell to breakfast. Why? I can reasonably expect the internal workings of my transportation to resemble his work space when it is all said and done.
Likewise, a paper-flow mechanic involved in data storage and retrieval should develop a righty-tidy system for many reasons, not the least of which are accuracy and efficiancy.
Having said that, my boss is extremely wealthy and pretty much a slob in these matters. So what? He doesn't do it for a living.When he comes to me, I had better produce, and quick! I say if that is your trade,
drop the excuses and nail down a neat, quick work environment free of sloth and clutter. Or, better yet, get deep enough pockets to hire it done. I predict you will not hire a slob.
Posted by: airboyhoss | Jun 8, 2005 8:45:47 AM
What kind of jobs fit well for MDP?? I'm serious. I'm having to make a career change and I'm not that organized, though I am creative, great with people, do enjoy organizing events, ironically-and have a BA and a BS (IOW, I'm not slow!!)
Posted by: browngirl | Jun 8, 2005 3:14:02 PM
I just discovered something about myself from reading this article and these comments. It is true, a messy desk person is creative. I am a neat freak to a certain extent, however, I occassionally, have a messy desk. When you are a creative multi-tasker, I think it is a little difficult to keep everything immaculately tidy. Plus, I agree with the boring thing. If you are too tidy, you are probably a little uptight and boring. This is no excuse, however, to be a total slob. I think a good balance between the two is good. However, I believe you get more done, and can think clearer when your desk is neat.
Mixed emotions!!!
Posted by: nshillingford | Jun 10, 2005 8:33:44 AM
Worked in a design office for years.
Management was always on us for having a "messy" workspace because they wanted to bring clients through to show them what we could offer. AT the time we were turning out 6-8 projects a week on a consistant basis supporting a salesforce of 60. My take was, if there wasn't a slip of paper in sight when the client came through (or Upper Management for that matter) there was the expectation we weren't being productive.
I'm not sure how they expect everything to be neat and clean when plotting, copying and collating 24x36 size sheets. Of all the other offices, we had the highest productivity rate and customer satisfaction so I don't think they could complain too much.
Posted by: papermonkey | Jun 10, 2005 12:52:02 PM
I don't agree with the numbers from the original article. From what I've seen in the corporations, the higher level manager you are, the less messy your desk is. If you see a person's desk with only a laptop and a few decorations, he's probably at least a director. :)
The other thing is, the MDPs are usually technical people into details, good engineers, never good managers. Which is consistent with my first observations.
So if you want to climb the coporate ladder, better start cleaning up your desk. :)
Posted by: exMDP | Jun 11, 2005 1:23:45 AM
I worked for a brilliant man, very successful. He was a great leader and able to laugh at himself, but never at others. He kept a very messy desk. His thoughts on the matter were "a clean desk is a sign of an empty mind".
Posted by: JaneinMinnesota | Jun 14, 2005 10:56:07 AM
I tend to have things piled on my desk during the day on those things I expect to work on. They are not flooding the gates, but are at the ready. So, is the glass half full or half empty? I tend to think half full, meaning my work is ready and waiting and is a constant reminder of what I need to accomplish during that day. Close of day my desk is cleared, leaving on meaningful files in proper file holders on the desk. I knew of one Admin whose desk was "a sight for sore eyes" but when you went to her for something, low and behold! - She reached for the appropriate pile, scanned thru it and there it was! But, the outer image is what others grasp. Just as someone described going to a mechanic - but then if you knew he knew his stuff and fixed that vehicle like a charm - would you look at it as their "tools of the trade". Matter of opinion I guess, but at the end of the day it's nice to see the top of the desk or work space.
Posted by: Ter | Jun 14, 2005 11:24:59 AM
I to am of the messy sort and at a job I had in the past was "wrote" up for having it that way. When I asked what difference did it make if my production was was to par, was told by my supervisor "It just did not look good" I never lost anything on my desk. Have 30 years work expirence, married for 28 years, four children, have owned two companies and have juggled all with sucess. But the job I have now, my father was in the hospital, and a co-worker took it apon herself to cover for me. Went into my office, did not understand my system and "cleaned" my office. Needless to say, when I came back I could not find anything. So if you don't know the desk, stay away....
Posted by: A WALKER | Jun 14, 2005 12:17:34 PM
Some people just say 'F*** It' and I think thats really cool if you can stand the mess, I give you two thumbs up. I wish I could say that but I only stay messy for about a month and then I turn into 'Mr. Clean.'
Posted by: Tara Holmes | Jun 14, 2005 1:24:27 PM
I'm educated, THAT'S why I have a messy desk! A-HA!
Posted by: Tim Brown | Jun 14, 2005 1:25:42 PM
Being a Rceptionist/FedEx Admin/Meeting Room Champion/Office Answering Service/Billing Rep for 62 companies, I have no choice than to have a mess on my desk!
By about 10:00 am, I have just about every task for the day competing for space on a bench type desk. In between phone calls, courier deliveries, sorting mail and client requests, I spend the rest of the day just "getting things off my desk".
After working at this job for over two years, I have come to the conclusion that following a "plan for the day" or a "things-to-do-list" is a waste of energy. I find that just staying focused on one thing until it is completed is the only way to function here. Each day has a completely different set of variables.
I just got done filing out an Electronic Procurement Form to purchase one of those ticket dispensers you see at most delicatessen counters. When a client's number is called........
Thank goodness I'm having surgery in 2 weeks!
Posted by: Michele R. Wendland | Jun 14, 2005 1:35:47 PM
I once worked with somone that thought having a messy desk meant job security and having a neat desk meant they did not have enought to do. My desk gets messy during the day but before I go home each night I put everything away. It makes the next day start out better when my office looks organized when I get in each morning.
Posted by: Lu | Jun 14, 2005 1:40:26 PM
I like having my work on my desk so that when I leave at night I can pick right up where I left off the next morning. Whatever I'm working on at the time is on my desk. When its finished (sometimes) it gets filed, but not until I'm done with it. Plus I have neat stacks of manuals, etc. all over my desk and then I work on top of these (sort of) but when I need to refer to something its right there on my desk and I don't have to get up and look through a shelf for the right manual.
Posted by: Sally | Jun 14, 2005 3:31:14 PM
Funny thing; my desk is usually messy. I try to clean it up, but it ends up taking a least a day and in a week it's right back into its more natural state. My desk believes in entropy - "left alone things go from a state of order to disorder".
But my computer files, that's a completely different story. My computer filing system is relatively concise, sub-directories are used often and are reasonably logical. I do not have a hundred items floating around on my "desktop", and I keep my eMail in-box below 100 letters at all times and usually below 50.
I have seen "neat-desk freaks" who's computer files are a disaster. Since 95% of all of my work eminates from the PC, keeping that "desk" clean and organized has far greater impact on my productivity than my "real" one. Oh, BTW, I never miss deadlines!
Myles M.
Posted by: Myles | Jun 14, 2005 5:05:11 PM
Looks like to me this is an article written by someone trying to pass herself off as intelligent and is relying on the MD Syndrome.
Personally I think a messy desk is a sign of a lazy person. There are few things worse than asking someone for something and they say 'I've got it here somewhere'. Of course, messy to one person is organized to another.
Posted by: bubba | Jun 15, 2005 12:46:32 PM
I disagee that a messy desk has any relation to creativeness, education or ability. In my mind, a messy desk indicates a serious lack of organization skills or a lack of cabniet space. If you have any interaction with customers internal or external, a messy desk presents a negative image. Being a slob is not a measure of intelligence!
Posted by: Wannabedirector | Jun 15, 2005 1:18:20 PM
I am curious about the people in the 6 figure range those that have messy desks and those that don't.
Posted by: hector | Jun 15, 2005 1:45:29 PM
I MUCH prefer tidy, but when things get busy I don't always have time to put things away. I have a small work area, so I operate like a sailor, with a place for everything & everything in it's place. I have a spiral notebook to write notes in every day & hold various papers for current projects, & then there's my Pile, folders for current projects. My Pile is the equivalent of my Windows desktop. If it's happening, it's in my Pile (which includes my carrying bag). I LIVE to move folders from the Pile into the morgue (filing cabinets).
My boss, by the way, is a total neat freak (which I like). My last boss was a TOTAL MDP (read: SLOB). Both great guys, mind you. Bottom line is, I don't put too much stock in statistics, because, as my huband loves to say, Correlation Is Not Causation.
He's an MDP too. Big time. Takes great pride in it. Oy.
Posted by: Reg | Jun 15, 2005 2:00:50 PM
Clean desk people tend to focus on a single task. That's a quaint thought, but not reality in today's world. When the phone rings, you need to switch gears. If you spent time putting the previous task away, you'd never get anything done.
I think a clean desk is a sign of prestige, much as having clean fingernails means that you don't have to get them dirty. As far as productivity, a clean desk means that you don't have to take distractions, (you probably create them). It's nce, but not realistic.
Posted by: Jon | Jun 15, 2005 2:51:45 PM
I sometimes wonder if in fact I do have a desk. I cannot stand my desk to be covered in whatever umpteen projects I am working on at any one time. Every so often, I will get completely disgusted and clean my desk. It looks so nice and shiney, I wonder why I don't keep it this way. By noon its covered up again. Quite the viscious cycle.
Posted by: andy | Jun 15, 2005 3:43:47 PM
I try not to be a messy desk person,there's only one problem: after clearing and filing all of my seemingly unnecessary clutter, I find that I need at hand every single folder,contract and etc... that I believed should not be on my desk,in the chair in the corner and on the floor. So, in conclusion I feel much better reading about the "messy desk club", I was beginning to feel as though after all of my years of trying to explain the method to my sanity to my boss where filing is a defeated purpose and everyone else was doing it, I can direct him to this site. Thanks guys I'm in for life!
Posted by: njchick | Jun 15, 2005 3:44:33 PM
The messiness of my workspace is a direct correlation to the number of tasks I am working on at any given time.
That said, when there is time between projects, I take great joy in shoving *everything* off the desktop, then sorting through the pile and filing things away that aren't immediately necessary. That day or two with a clean desk makes me feel pretty good... but it never lasts.
I'm not sure where that places me in the survey... messy desk person, with occasional attempts at recovery?
Posted by: Jonathan Murray | Jun 15, 2005 3:49:04 PM
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