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Detox Your Desk

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Detox Your Desk

Declutter Your Life and Mind

Capstone,

15 min read
10 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

Believe it or not, putting your workspace in order is the first step toward getting your life in order.

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

What connection could possibly exist between your desk at work and your personal life? Plenty, if you subscribe to the theory offered by Theo Theobald and Cary L. Cooper. Clutter not only makes finding your ballpoint pen and paper clips difficult, but disorganization also prevents you from achieving your full potential as an employee or a manager. Taking it one step further, disarray in your work area may reflect chaos in your life in general. Establishing a central location for your rubber bands or notepads will not suddenly transform you into a superstar employee. Tidying up your desk, however, will make you a better employee and can provide the impetus for you to see if the rest of your life is in order. The authors provide a 10-day program with a suggested change and three actions to complete each day. Written by two British authors, the book is loaded with references and jargon that may befuddle non-Europeans, but that doesn’t compromise its core message. If you just can’t seem to get your desk together, getAbstract recommends this book to you: Now you can come clean.

Summary

Work Equals Anxiety

Work is a primary culprit behind society’s general sense of anxiety. Most people struggle mightily to balance their work and the rest of their lives. You may be working longer hours while actually deriving less satisfaction from your efforts. Cell phones and laptops prevent you from “leaving” work when you walk out of the office. Your work actually follows you.

To make matters worse, job security is a thing of the past. Older workers who suddenly find themselves unemployed discover that age hurts their chances of finding new jobs. Insecurity soars and morale plummets because of the link between self-worth and making a living.

Since the current environment is unlikely to change quickly, the key is finding a way to make your working life more manageable. “Detox” is the answer. Cleaning up physically, emotionally and psychologically will make you healthier and happier. You can’t begin the process, though, until you understand workplace dynamics and how they affect you.

When Reality Sets In

The longer you work in a job, the more flaws you see in the organization and in the people around you. You begin to realize that your duties ...

About the Authors

Theo Theobald is a freelance writer and lecturer who specializes in management and lifestyle. Cary L. Cooper is a professor of organizational psychology and health.

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