A cluttered desk is a sign of.. bulsh_t!!!

A cluttered desk is a sign of.. bulsh_t!!! Okay, that's not what I really had in mind. In the past couple of days, I have seen a quote shared on social media and while randomly browsing the internet. The quote is cited to have been written by Albert Einstein and it goes, "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?". I, personally, am a fan of having a streamlined and clean desk. I feel I am more productive when my desk is clean; with items that I use most within easy reach. I just don't feel comfortable working on a cluttered desk.

My home computer

Just recently, my girlfriend and I recently rearranged the computer area. I just don't want my workstation clean, I want the area near my workstation to also be clean and clutter-free. Check out the video below to see us cleaning the room "in action".

I would consider myself someone who is productive. Work wise, I am able to deliver what is expected of me and more. To add to that, I deliver it before any set "deadline". Is it related to me being organized and wanting things organized? I am not sure.

An article from Forbes seem to suggest that people who like clean desks are productive while people with "cluttered" desks are more creative.

Over the course of the study, the researchers conducted several experiments that placed participants in either a clean, neatly organized room or a cluttered, messy room. When asked if they’d like to give to charity, the participants in the clean room donated more often. When they were allowed to take a snack as they left the experiment, the tidy room participants choose healthy snacks more often. So despite Einstein’s protests, there may be some benefits to a clean desk.

It appears that being in an orderly environment influences us to conform to the conventional expectations set for us. However, being in a messy room helps us depart from those conventions and unlock more divergent thinking. “Disorderly environments seem to inspire breaking free of tradition, which can produce fresh insights,” Vohs explains. “Orderly environments, in contrast, encourage convention and playing it safe.”

You can read the full article by clicking on this link.

So, are you a "clean" or a "cluttered" desk person?