Ever tried to get work done in a messy office or room?
A physical workspace with way too much stuff will cloud your mind and impede your productivity.
Your digital environment is no different.
Having an organized and clean digital workspace can make a big difference in your productivity.
The simplest thing to change about your digital work environment is your desktop wallpaper.
Research suggests even something as simple as the color of your desktop, can impact your memory or creativity.
Choose a wallpaper that is aesthetically pleasing but not distracting.
An overly busy wallpaper can also make it difficult to locate files you have stored on your desktop.
So simpler is better.
There are even wallpapers designed to help you keep the files on your desktop organized by type or priority.
Next, consider the amount of clutter you have on your computer desktop.
Keep only the applications, shortcuts, and files you absolutely need on your desktop and keep everything else neatly tucked away elsewhere on your computer.
If your desktop is in a true state of disrepair, or you don’t have the time to go through everything, programs like Fences and ObjectDock can help you sort and manage desktop items.
Once your desktop is clean, you may want to consider whether desktop or browser notifications are helpful or distracting.
Services like Gmail can notify you of new emails or chat messages that can help you address urgent issues but may also hinder your ability to focus on a task.
Tweaking the types and frequency of notifications you receive can make the difference between staying on top of urgent messages, and constantly getting distracted by fluff.
To make optimal use of your screen, try snapping windows to specific positions on your desktop.
If you’re using Windows, you can instantly make a window fill up all or part of your screen by dragging it to the top, left, or right border of your desktop.
On Macs, apps like Size Up and BetterTouchTool can replicate the snapping functionality, and let you make the most of your display.
Finally, you may want to consider the benefit of using a larger monitor or two monitors at once, which will help you see more of a single project or even multiple projects at a time.
Which ever method you choose, keeping your digital workspace clean and organized, can have the same productivity benefits as a tidy office.
Think of it as digital Fengshui, create an ideal space for your needs and see a pickup in your productivity.
