Unclutter Your Desk - Find your writing nerd

Is a cluttered desk a sign of a cluttered mind, as the saying goes? I can tell you I’m more productive when my desk is uncluttered. I have a habit of starting on something, printing it, then setting it aside. Pretty soon I have random piles of unfinished work. Today’s post on organizing your space is as much for you, dear reader as it is for me, so here goes!

Organizing Your Space

You must develop a system that works for you. Perhaps you clear your desk at the end of each writing session. Or at the end of each week. Or season. No, that won’t work. The point is to set aside time to organize your space on a regular basis. Starting with a clean slate, a clear palate, a fresh start, get off on the right foot, reboot. Choose your idiom, but uncluttering your desk will give you a starting point.

Once your desk is clear, the trick is to keep it that way. Now, I know some of you reading this are naturally organized and would never dream of letting papers pile up on your desk. For the rest of us, it just happens. Honestly, when it comes to my desk I feel like that kid in the Peanuts comic strip with a cloud of dust circling his head. I just checked, and I currently have SIX unfinished projects and an unpaid bill piled on my desk.

How To Unclutter Your Desk

So how do I get this monster under control? I looked back at a January post on developing a writing system. So now, I think I need to develop a “keep your desk clear” system. Ideally, I should be working on a single project at a time. The reality is my attention is pulled in different directions. So first, I need to prioritize my projects. Which will I complete first, second, and so on? Once I have determined my top two projects (because sometimes I need a break from my main project), I will file all other pending projects. Then I can incorporate the priority projects into my writing system. At the end of each session, I will remove everything except the two current projects and a notebook for notes from my desk. Sticky notes with helpful websites, random quotes, and great ideas for the next project can go into the notebook. As I complete a project, the next one on the priority list will take its place.