Yes, you read the title right. Your desk really can help contribute to your success in the workplace (and no, this is not a Feng Shui article). Here’s how your desk can help you.
Stay focused
Meeting goals and deadlines are critical to success but accomplishing everything you need to can be challenging if you are distracted. To avoid interferences from impacting your productivity, be prepared for them. Write a list of common distractors and then see what you can keep at your desk to help mitigate them.
- Do you oftentimes get heartburn after lunch? Then make sure you keep antacids on hand.
- Does the heat impact your ability to concentrate? If so make sure you have a portable fan at your desk.
- Do your cubical neighbors get noisy in the afternoon? Keep earbuds in your drawer.
Showcase your personality, strengths, and passions
How you are perceived can impact future growth and promotion opportunities. Your desk says a lot about you and can either enhance or hurt your reputation (i.e. a messy workspace may lead a co-worker to think your work output is sloppy). Take the time to decide how you want others to view you and then decorate accordingly.
- Would you like your co-workers to think of you as more current and trendy? Accessorize your desk with the latest technology and gadgets.
- Do you want to be seen as motivating? Display inspirational messages.
- Are you looking to impress your colleagues or boss? Then tack up a few professional certificates, awards and kudos from happy customers.
Foster conversations
Thanks to emails, texts, pings and IMs friendly face-to-face chats are a rarity. This is unfortunate because in-person conversations allow us to connect, network, collaborate and learn.
One of the easiest ways to stay connected with people is to draw them to your desk. Some ways to encourage people to visit include:
- Keeping an extra chair at your desk so people feel welcome to come by
- Putting out a public snack basket
- Having business magazines and newspapers openly available at your desk for others to borrow
So how are you going to have your desk support your success?
Danielle Clark is a human resources manager with more than 10 years of HR and customer service experience in healthcare and retail organizations. Her work with Fortune 500 companies, in addition to a diverse professional and academic background, has trained Clark to be results-driven, people-focused and a thought-provoking leader. Her goal is to educate and inspire professionals to change their way of thinking. She is also an adjunct professor, active community volunteer, wife, mother and passionate lifelong learner.
