A messy desk doesn’t just slow down your ability to find things – it can impede your career development.  A survey of HR executives by OfficeTeam found that more than eight in 10 said an untidy workspace influences their view of that employee’s professionalism.  Peter Walsh, of Peter Walsh Design in Sherman Oaks, Calif., says that almost 49 percent of your co-workers wonder about your abilities if you’re not capable of keeping your desk clean.

With that in mind, try these tips for keeping your working area neat and efficient:

• Create “zones.”  Don’t just toss documents, books, supplies, etc., across your desk.  Designate specific areas for particular items: progress reports in one corner, mail in another, stapler and paperclips in your top drawer, and so forth.  This will make finding things quicker and easier.
• Clean up regularly.  Before lunch, and right before you go home, spend a few minutes sorting your desk.  File what you need, discard what you don’t, and straighten everything up so it’s waiting in the right location when you return.
• Respond promptly.  Resist the urge to set stuff aside for an indeterminate “later.”  Make a point of filing, discarding, or acting on items right away so they don’t pile up and become overwhelming to contemplate.

– Article provided by FirstDraft.