PA Life readers reveal how clean their office desks are

Our readers have revealed how well kept their desks are, and whether or not it affects their workflow. Messy desks aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, with many needing a clean desk to reduce stress, while others prefer all of their work front-and-centre on their worktop, and the PA Life readers have shown that there isn’t a correct answer on how to look after your own space.

Perfection isn’t a top priority when it comes to the state of most of our readers’ desks, as the poll revealed that around one in five need their desks to be pristine in order to work, yet almost a quarter are embracing the chaos. In fact, more of our readers would opt for mess over perfection.

How messy is your work desk?

— PA Life (@PALifeMag) November 6, 2017

Half of the readers who responded to our twitter poll admitted they prefer to have everything in it’s place, although it’s not necessarily essential, while around one in 10 simply said they didn’t really mind what their desk looks like. With many PAs desk-hopping and plenty spending extended times outside of the office or away from their own space, the state of their desk isn’t always the first thing on their minds, provided everything is accessible.

The poll results come following news that giving your desk a good sorting out could be good for your mental health as it has been discovered that 80% of Brits consider organisation and clutter clearing to be a real stress-buster. Despite this, nearly three quarters of the country described themselves as messy people, and others simply don’t feel like they have enough hours in the day to worry about it.

“People feel better for clearing away the clutter, but certain barriers prevent the UK population from cracking on with it,” explained Avery UK’s Fiona Mills. “This week is National Organising Week and the perfect time to think about ways to be more organised and make sure you stay on top of mess.”

Do you need a tidy desk to focus? What does your work desk say about you? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.