Alison G.
Owner, Gerranium, Business writing, blogs, articles, news pieces, web content, business consultancy
What do you find when you tidy your office?
I've found a blue bobble hat, a plastic duck and a very green bar of chocolate
Good Answers (6)
Doc F.
RACF Engineer at KeyBank
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I try never to "tidy" my office - once I do, I can't find a blinkin' thing. The rolling hills of paperwork which cover my desk (and part of the floor, two shelves, and if I ever get my anti-grav working, the ceiling) are in fact an ingenious, efficient and effective filing system. I can reach into any pile and instantly find whatever I'm looking for. Tech reports, JCL listings, IBM manuals, lunch...
I only hope you didn't throw away that very green bar of chocolate - If you had only waited a few more days, it would have developed language skills and could have answered your phone for you...
Hope this helps (or at least raises a smile!). Many thanks.
Doc Farmer
Senior Security Specialist
InfoSec, Inc.
Links:
Pierre K.
Professional Services Consultant at IP Performance
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So true, Doc.
I don't allow my wife into my "office" room (she keeps threatening to mount an expedition therein to "tidy up") - I like the drifts of paperwork, bins overflowing with tissues, empty twiglets and wine gum packets, just the way they are. It's my filing system, and I know where everything is (or at least can find any given item with minimal delay).
She "tidied up" the garage (my workshop) just after Christmas. Now there are piles of broken toys piling up, as I can't find my tools, the superglue, the epoxy resin... etc etc etc.
One woman's mess is another man's working environment...
--
Pierre
I add it as a SMART objective yearly to keep a tidy office...
Sadly.. I have had to grade myself at "needs improvement" every year.
;-)
I too have found "toddler toys", out food, and those darn sticky notes I blamed my wife for throwing away.
Michael J. Rowley, CISM, CISA, MCSE, MCSA
Risk Management & Security
http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljrowley
Vladimir P.
Senior Software Engineer at Infoblox
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As it seems that people with messy offices / desks tend to be more creative (because people that spend more and more time to continuosly cleanup their desks have less and less time to do really productive work) I've gradually started to let things accumulate on my desk... :)
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Rubberbands galore. Some paperclips and the odd dead AA battery from all the headsets in the office that need to be recycled.
I always find at least two business cards for services that I needed months before.
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Gary C.
President and Chief Executive Officer at Hy9 Corporation
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I once discovered an employee that time forgot.
Cathy C.
Attorney (Business, Renewable Energy/Solar, Real Property, Petroleum Law, Civil Litigation, Outside General Counsel)
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That I had too much time on my hands that day. I do, however, try to live by the rule that you must touch everything on your desk at least once a week. That keeps me from desk cluttering excessively, which can be particularly dangerous in my profession.
Tom M.
Business Relationship Manager - Marketing & Customer Services at Jaguar Land Rover NA LLC
Best Answers in: Mentoring (1)
I typically find all the things that I misplaced the last time I cleaned up my office :)
Clarification added January 31, 2008:
If the item was something I didn't miss, I typically get rid of it at this point... If it was something tha I did miss, it makes me reassess the "methods to my madness" and I look to improve my storage decisions :)
Aapparently some employees find an untidy office space a good enough reason to leave. I can't imagine it ever getting that bad. My office is always very tidy.
