Another Success

Before I had kids, I taught at an alternative middle school in Portland, OR. I had a fabulous boss (the school coordinator/principal) who was very supportive, but also trusting enough to allow her employees to find their own way. At one of my teacher evaluations, the subject of my desk came up. My teacher's desk was stacked with binders and piles of ungraded work and teaching resources. Likewise, the shelves behind it were covered with books and binders and folders all askew. I don't have a picture of that desk, but I do have a picture of my current home office desk...which will give you an idea of how I roll.

This actually looks pretty good...better than normal, to be honest.

Anyway, when my desk came up I immediately started to apologize for the mess. But my boss was quick to wave her hand, as if to disperse the unspoken false promises that I would clean it up. She smiled at me and said, "It doesn't bother me because you get stuff done on time and you aren't disorganized in your mind. If you can continue to perform well and find what you need when you need it, I don't have a problem with how your desk looks."

Take a minute to think about that piece of awesome and rare leadership.

Now back to the issue of my desk. My boss had brilliantly landed on a truth about me...I'm disorganized on the exterior, but in my mind, I keep things in order, at least enough to hit deadlines and get work done efficiently. I might temporarily misplace things in the clutter, but I rarely lose them. My default setting = cluttered. Any attempt to clean up my work spaces are short-lived. On the other hand, I do have my limits. I prefer when my surroundings are clean, but my personality is too scattered to consistently keep things that way. I blame my busy life, numerous hobbies, lack of time, and hurricanes of children.

Perhaps a bit of clutter isn't a huge problem. In fact, it can even have some benefits. According to some research, a cluttered environment can encourage creativity and a break from conventional thinking. In fact, this article supports that and even shows the very messy desks of renowned creative minds like Einstein, Mark Twain, and Steve Jobs. So while I'm not necessarily comparing myself to those geniuses, I am saying that I appreciate the validation that clutter isn't all bad.

Still, in light of my chosen challenge, it was time to clean up my desk. The piles weren't serving any purpose but to take up space and stress me out. So I hit it hard and got the desk cleaned up. It might not last, but it's fun to look at in the meantime.

 Just don't look in the drawers or cabinets...okay?