Quote of the Day (19/04/08)
“If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is the significance of a clean desk?”
Laurence J. Peter
[Quote supplied by the Quotations Page]
Although this isn’t strictly a writing-related quote, it caught my eye when it appeared in my feed-reader this morning.
Personally, both my home and office desks are very cluttered. But it’s the quality of clutter that differs. In work, there’s nothing on my desk and shelf that isn’t necessary: books, magazines, papers, pens and pencils, my mug, my daily apple, a box of fruit teabags, the laptop, the desktop PC… Although come to think of it, the odds and ends (some of them very odd) tend to end up in my drawer rather than being on display.
My home desk, on the other hand, is just messy. There’s a lot of rubbish lying on it that I really should sort through and throw out (old receipts and that sort of thing); the cables are all jumbled, half the CDs are out of the rack, papers aren’t sorted properly… that sort of thing. (My drawers at home are just as bad, too.)
So, is it any wonder that I find it easier to concentrate when I’m in the office, and don’t spend so much time fumbling round for what I need?
Comments
Comment from Fiendish
Time Saturday April 19 2008 at 5:48 pm
I don’t have a locker desk, but the desk in my room is incredibly, stupidly cluttered. I even got a shelving unit thingie to put all the clutter on, which is now full, and I have still managed to clutter up the desk with more things.
Perhaps I just need less stuff.
Comment from Damien Riley
Time Sunday April 20 2008 at 12:19 am
I think it’s a personality type thing but I also believe that the slobs among us, myself included, write the best descriptive prose!
Comment from Adam Kamerer
Time Sunday April 20 2008 at 6:20 am
I’ve reached the point where I can’t work on a cluttered desk. If I try to, I find I get distracted and start fidgeting with one thing or another.
Comment from Jim Murdoch
Time Sunday April 20 2008 at 11:02 pm
You might find my blog ‘Writing in outer space’ interesting then:
http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/2008/01/writing-in-outer-space.html
There’s a photo of my office at the end. If you click on it, it blows up to a decent size.
Comment from Alison
Time Monday April 21 2008 at 1:26 pm
My work desk if usually tidy, but my home one always ends up with too much on it. I try and tidy it up quite often though!
Comment from des
Time Monday April 21 2008 at 1:38 pm
my desk is so overflowing with clutter. sometimes, my desk is untidy too. wonder if that means i sometimes have a dirty mind?
Comment from haleyhughes
Time Monday April 21 2008 at 6:04 pm
If that quote is at all true, no wonder I’m not getting much accomplished lately.
My office at home is so cluttered, and has been for so long, it’s absolutely driving me crazy. It’s no fun to work there. (As if work should be fun?) I’m working on some spring cleaning in my office, trying to tackle a little bit everyday, and climb out of the clutter.
BTW, I know you’ve already discovered this, but it’s in the rules so I’ll do it anyway: Tag, you’re it. (And, no, you don’t have to keep it writing related. LOL)
Comment from Catherine
Time Monday April 21 2008 at 10:48 pm
It’s so nice to know I’m not the only one with an untidy desk. I really should knuckle down and sort out my home desk though – writing this post did at least inspire me to chuck some of the actual rubbish out, but there’s still a lot of stuff that needs to be put in its proper place (if I can find one for it).
Comment from AvidReader2008
Time Saturday April 19 2008 at 4:33 pm
I agree with you completely. While I can sometimes block out the clutter in my work area, I work much more effectively in an organized area. I also find it very stressful to be working in an area that needs to be organized. I am no neat freak, but the clutter distracts me with thought of how and when I should try to clean it up. Great post, great blog!