5 Steps to Spring Cleaning Your Office Environment

“As the days turn brighter and flowers begin to blossom, it’s clear that we are fast approaching Spring, which for most people means gearing up to give their homes the annual spring clean. However, this seasonal ritual is also well worth implementing in your office, whether you work in the city or at a desk in your spare room. Not only does clearing out clutter give you a sense of a fresh start, which most of us need after a long and dreary winter, but a clean and organised office space has also been proven to increase productivity. By following these simple steps, you could transform your office into a tranquil haven that you’ll love stepping into every morning. Here’s how to get started… Organise Your Space We may live in a world dominated by the constant evolution of technology, but many of us still struggle with desks taken over by loose pieces of paper and multiple sticky notes. The best way to tackle this problem is to keep your notes in one place by using a notebook; this is where you can compile all of your ideas, dates, and information. You can also place loose pieces of paper and post-it notes in your notebook and keep it as your own mini filing system. Not only does this look a great deal neater, it also means that you’re more likely to be able to find what you need – rather than rummaging through your desk for a scrap of paper that you wrote on two weeks ago. Better yet, you could scrap the paper trail and opt for a digital note-taking system. Programmes like Evernote are popular for their ability to sync across multiple devices.  Bin What You Don’t Need Clutter can build up very easily over time and before you know it you find your desk buried underneath a bunch of folders, documents, pens, sellotape and other random pieces of stationary. You must be ruthless when it comes to cleaning your desk and constantly ask yourself, ‘Do I really need this?’ More often than not, the items on our desks are not used on a daily basis, but have rather accumulated because we haven’t found the time to return them to their proper place in the office.  A great trick for gaining an understanding of your essential desk equipment is to completely clear your desk, then begin the week with the bare minimum. If you notice that you miss certain items then you can slowly add them to your desk; if not, get rid.  Add The Ideal Chair While your desk chair may not be a source of clutter, it still impacts on your productivity as much as the rest of your desk space. Without a comfortable and supportive chair, our general health can be hugely impacted, and the distraction will lead to reduced work output. By selecting the correct chair for you, it will minimise any chance of back pain or neck stiffness, meaning that you’ll feel better and more motivated at work. We suggest that you upgrade your current office chair to one that is much comfier and appropriate for you. You can find a great range of different chairs and various styles, all with ergonomic features, at Office Chairs UK.
Add Inspiration Make the most of the space you have available to you and add different features that help you to work at your very best. Try and incorporate certain touches of your personal taste and style where possible, this way you are able to add a more individual feeling. This way it enables you to feel much more comfortable in an area where you are going to be spending a lot of your time, therefore it is in your best interest to ensure that this is a place where you are able to work to a good level and feel you can work comfortably.   Certain aspects that you can look to add are colours, images, lighting and even plants, as they offer an extra source of freshness. All of these factors need to be considered when you are cleaning your office and rearranging it to fulfil your needs to be more effective. Remove Distractions
When you are sat working there can be times when you find yourself becoming distracted. Whether that is because of a mental block, or the Wi-Fi being down, sometimes it can be because there is something on your desk that causes a distraction. Therefore, to enable you to work at you very best level and to provide you with the best opportunity to be able to get your work done and produce the very best work you can do, these unnecessary distractions need to be cut out. So when cleaning out your desk and office, bear in mind if there is anything you feel prevents you from working and take action. This way you will be much more productive during your working hours.
With these five easy steps, we aim to help you to ensure the very best office efficiency when working this spring. Follow our guide to allow yourself to work to your very best and really get stuck into the ‘Big Spring Clean’ now. “