Every year on the second Monday of January, National Clean Off Your Desk Day is observed. When was the last time you thoroughly cleaned your workspace? Did you know that the typical office desk is 100 times dirtier than a kitchen table? Isn’t it disgusting? But wait, there’s more. A work desk is probably 400 times dirtier than a typical toilet seat. Diseases are kept at bay by keeping our surroundings clean. A tidy office both declutters and inspires. According to scientific evidence, neat workstations make you more efficient. So, dedicate some time today to thorough decluttering and cleaning.
Remember, a cluttered workstation invites disorder! A clean desk, on the other hand, allows you to focus better, be more productive, and generally feel better about your workspace (as does a new laptop stand if you want to indulge yourself). And by clean, we don’t just mean free of physical clutter. That’s right, your computer’s desktop counts as well. Drag those files into a tidy folder!
NATIONAL CLEAN YOUR DESK DAY: HISTORY
Anne Moeller of Clio, Michigan, is the organized clean-enthusiast who launched this holiday. This holiday, observed on the second Monday of January, is most likely the result of cluttered desktops prior to and after the Christmas season and New Year. Who can say? A New Year’s resolution might have served as inspiration for the holiday!
Anyone who wishes to be productive must have a suitable workspace. Your workstation is your office, and if it is not functional, it can stifle creativity, task completion, and workflow. Consider this: don’t we all despise it when we can’t find a pen or an important paper is buried behind the clutter on our desks? It has been demonstrated time and again that a well-organized workspace increases productivity and allows people to focus better on their task. It’s actually pretty therapeutic.
The term ‘desk’ was first used in the 14th century but did not become generally used until the 18th century. In the past, only clergy and lawyers used desks, but now they are practically ubiquitous. Work transitioned from manual labor to computers after the Industrial Revolution. Before computers became commonplace and most work became digital, drawers (many of them) were the method to organize workstations. After computers became the standard, superfluous paperwork was gradually phased out, but with the numerous USBs and plugins required for digital data maintenance, we still end up with cluttered workstations!
Students and creative persons with messy desks include artists, authors, makeup artists, and others. Given the importance of staying focused and achieving our professional objectives, it is prudent to spend some time cleaning and arranging our desks rather than wasting hours looking for misplaced stuff.
But here’s why we should do it thoroughly now. A typical work desk might be 400 times dirtier than a toilet. Those figures, as gruesome and dramatic as they are, are unfortunately accurate. The majority of bacteria flourish on computers and keyboards. Today is an ideal day to thoroughly clean your laptop.
Furthermore, those who operate in congested situations frequently experience undetected stress. On our workstations, random items, documents, and scraps of paper can steadily accumulate. They’re not only ugly to look at, but they’re also incredibly stressful. Cluttered desks are simply inefficient. When will I find the notepad? I swear I saw that file right here. It’s the stuff of nightmares, especially when time is of the essence.
Modern living causes stress. The good news is that we can reduce much of it by taking simple steps. Research has shown that working in clean, bright environments lowers stress. Clean workstations first thing in the morning can instantly improve emotions. Want to go one step further? Decorate your workspace with indoor plants or seasonal flowers. Display a favorite work of art or photos of your loved ones. Clean, visually beautiful workspaces can boost motivation and productivity levels significantly.
Argyle Day – January 8, 2024 (Scotland) (eduvast.com)
National Clean Your Desk Day 2024: 5 OFFICE FACTS
The typewriter transformed the desk.
Because the rolltop design was no longer functional after the invention of the typewriter, the design of the desk altered.
Darwin added wheels to the chair.
By incorporating wheels, Charles Darwin transformed the office chair. This aided him in getting to his specimens faster during his research.
Clean up your keyboard.
A typical workplace keyboard has 16 million germs. Yikes!
Everyone misplaces things.
Every year, the average office worker spends six weeks hunting for something.
How clean is your workplace?
Only 3% of offices sanitize their equipment regularly.
NATIONAL CLEAN YOUR DESK DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | January 11 | Monday |
| 2022 | January 10 | Monday |
| 2023 | January 9 | Monday |
| 2024 | January 8 | Monday |
| 2025 | January 13 | Monday |
