I like to have a clean desk at the end of the day.
My desk is actually quite messy, because I like to keep too many things easily accessible. I’m a knowledge worker. I utilize my expertise to solve problems experienced by users of my employer’s products. Many issues are simple, resolved by the end of the call.
Some problems are complex, requiring research, testing, and thought. Still, unless I’m waiting for someone else’s input, I strive to resolve the issue before I log out for the evening. I don’t like the ones that take time to resolve, especially the ones that become a “project” for another team, because then I have an open task hanging over my head. And the next week could bring more. And the week after that.
It also means that I’m in demand. My drive to resolve issues quickly means that I’m the first point of contact for a lot of people.
So, by being as efficient and productive as possible, I encounter a greater workload. Which not only increases the chance that I’ll have more unresolved issues, but also makes me the go-to for the easy questions as well, chipping away at time needed to resolve the more complex issues.
One of my elementary school teachers had a sign on her desk. “A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind.” It tickled me when I was prepubescent. So droll and self-deprecating. Now, I see the truth of it.
It drives you mad.
