Why Have a Place for Everything in Your Workspace
While you may have heard the expression “a place for everything and everything in its place”, you might not have completely embraced the underlying message. This isn’t only about having a pristine supply closet with all the paper neatly stacked and all the pens sorted by type and stored in appropriately sized containers. Yes, assigning specific storage locations for each type of supply is essential in the overall plan for keeping the supplies organized. However, it is equally important to apply this same concept to our individual workspaces. Whether you have a home office, are working from home for now, or back in your company’s office, this principle should be applied to your space. Let’s look at why you should have a place for everything in your workspace.
Consider the downside if you don’t…stress, wasted time, lack of focus. Here’s a perfect example. You’ve been busy at your desk working on an important project. You’ve hit the wall and realize that it’s time to take a break. It’s a nice day so a short walk would help get you re-focused. You gather your sunglasses and then look for your keys. However, they are no where in sight. While you remember having them earlier, you don’t recall where you dropped them. Was it on your desk under the piles of papers? Did you put them in your coat pocket or handbag? Maybe you left them in the kitchen when you were getting coffee. So many possibilities…as you start searching form them, your stress level climbs. The longer it takes to find them the more annoyed you get about all the time that is being wasted. After all, you have to complete that project today. You don’t want to call off the search because you won’t be able to focus on the work that needs to be completed.
This could all have been avoided if you had designated a specific spot for your keys and always put them there. It could be in a bowl by your front door if you work from home. It could be your jacket pocket, desk drawer, or handbag if you’re in the office. Choosing a location that makes sense to you is all that matters. So, consider the benefits of having a place for everything in your workspace and start assigning locations as needed to those frequently used items that keep going missing. If you need a tip or two to get started, reach out to me.