Your cube is gross. There, I said it. You really need to clean it up. Toss out the old candy wrappers. Shred those old files (and any incriminating holiday party photos). But that’s just the surface of the whole cubicle mess. We want you to get energized and see things in a whole new light! Let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?
Physical
When it was time to leave my old job, I had accumulated loads of junk on and around my desk. Now, part of the problem was that I was pretty organized for the first year and a half, because I had two cubicle spots to spread out my work (i.e. “junk”), and when someone was placed in the second slot, everything had to be crammed back into my side. Another part of the problem is that I was always too busy with work to actually stop and pick up the papers, handbooks, and countless other piles of stuff.
However, I was putting myself through a hassle for no reason at all. Taking the time out of your day, week, or month to clean up your desk is definitely worth the trouble. Cleaning the filth off of your desk often can help you to be healthier and more productive. It will keep away the gnats and give you a chance to hit the office fridge.
Mental
In the horrendous movie Dreamcatcher, there is one scene that uses a powerful visualization that grips me. The character is running around a large warehouse full of filing cabinets and stacked papers, trying desperately to find a certain file. The warehouse is supposed to be his brain, and every single file in the room is a memory from his past. When you think about it like that, you realize that there are only so many thoughts that can be accessed at any given time. When your desk resembles an explosion in a paper factory, there is no way for you to keep track of the dozens of reports, spreadsheets, files, and forms all at once.
Plus, your mind needs a chance to be innovative. It needs a chance to break free from the routine and unlock some creativity. Here’s an experiment you can try to find your own creative thoughts: Thomas Edison had an intriguing way of unlocking ideas hidden in his subconscious. He would lay down in a chair with his arms hanging from the sides. In each hand, he held a ball bearing. When he fell asleep just enough for his mind to unlock what was going on under the surface, he would drop the bearings onto glass pie plates sitting on the floor, waking him up with the ideas fresh on his mind. It’s unorthodox. It’s strange. But it actually might work!
So, clean your cube (both physically and mentally). It needs to be done, and today is as good as any to go for it! With all of this cubicle talk, I know that you need a little excitement to round out your day. Here’s a little something to make you smile!
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