FRIDAY FUNNY: Extra Day, Extra Clean

There’s an extra day coming up just around the corner, so how can facility managers make the most of it? OFM, an office and school furniture manufacturer, distributor, and wholesaler, shares five tips on how to make the most out of Leap Day—Wednesday, February 29—by encouraging employees to use the day to create a more productive workspace.

“No one likes to take time out of their workweek to clean and organize their desk, even though it will help you be more productive and happier in the long run,” said Blake Zalcberg, chief operating officer of OFM, located in Holly Springs, NC. “That’s why we recommend you do it on Leap Day, that one extra day we get every four years. If you can’t organize when you literally have an extra day, when will you?”

Zalcberg and OFM’s staff of office furniture professionals shared these tips for creating a productive workspace:

  1. Clean your desk. Many people have a tendency to stack papers and other work materials in little piles around their desks, which can be helpful for a while. But if those piles are for projects that are finished, file them or throw them away.
  2. Keep it close. For paperwork that you need to reference frequently, consider a rolling file pedestal. Put very important files in a red folder at the near end of the drawer for quick reference.
  3. De-clutter. That novelty softball with a vendor’s logo on it? The old mug with a broken handle? All those extra pens? You don’t need them. If you aren’t going to use something on a regular basis, it’s just clutter. Throw it away.
  4. Get virtually tidy. Don’t forget your computer. Too many people work off of desktops full of dozens of icons for old spreadsheets and documents. If you don’t want to spend time organizing them, just put them all in a single folder and keep your desktop clear.
  5. Wipe it down. Bring a spray bottle of a common household cleaner to work. Not only will it keep your desk germ-free to wipe it down from time to time, but it will also remind you to keep your desk clear enough that you can wipe it down.

“A clean desk means fewer distractions and it makes it easier to find important documents. It also subconsciously makes you feel good about your environment which can lead to increased productivity,” said Zalcberg. “You can spend at least a third of your day at your desk. It should feel like a good place to be.”


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