A desk space should have enough room for us to be productive, and also be organized enough so that nothing gets in the way of that. In designing our desk space, we attempt to find the right balance of both so that neither our productivity nor organization are compromised.
In the past, I’ve tried to keep my desk space clear and uncluttered. When I’m working on a project, however, it becomes messy and cluttered in just a matter of minutes. For example, I’ll scribble ideas down on scratch paper, jot things down on post-it notes, have books out on the desk, and draw my ideas as I brainstorm. Not before long, the desk is in disarray. The process of creation is chaotic, untidy–the opposite of tidiness and organization.
Although it’s nice to have a desk that looks clean and uncluttered, it isn’t always conducive to creativity. I find that creativity is kind of like painting on a blank canvas or sculpting with clay. You’re bound to make mistakes and experiment with shapes and colors until it all comes together.
When we’re creative, we go into zone–have tunnel vision: we only focus on the work itself. Thus, creativity doesn’t want to be confined nor restricted. It wants to be set free. But to be organized means we must restrict it, or else everything gets disorganized.
To find the right balance, we must do a combination of both: create and then organize. As long as we have system in place, the chaos can be brought back in to order.
Fallton Havenstonne 