Keeping Organized: What it has to do with your health?
Keeping and maintaining an organized workspace has never been so important, and we’re about to share why.
During any other time, writing about keeping systematized would be textbook. However, in the midst of a pandemic, staying organized can go to the wayside. We’re all living in a higher state of stress. According to the CDC, negative stress can lead to changes in eating patterns, difficulty in sleep and concentration, and worsen chronic health problems (learn more). When all of these things are awry, focusing on your organizational efforts can be the least of your worries. But one of the benefits of remaining organized is keeping a clear head. And, who doesn’t need that?
When you’re organized, you don’t have to stress about losing things. Take the few extra 
seconds each time to put things back in their home and your space stays clean. If I may give a personal example, I have a hiding spot on my bookshelf at home for nail clippers. It’s the number one item that goes missing in my house! So when I find them laying around, I grab them and put them in their super secret hiding spot on the bookshelf. I’d rather go get them every time for my husband rather than never know where a set is. We say, whatever works for you, stay organized! It’s one less worry on your plate!
Other basic perks that come with keeping an organized workspace are things like having more energy and getting better sleep. Taking 5 minutes at the end of each day to reorganize before you clock out leaves you fully prepared to start where you left off the day before. With the knowledge that your work is ready for you when you get back, your quality of peace and rest improves during your time spent at home. Actually using the time you spend at home to recharge helps regain your footing when you get back to work. So not only does keeping your workspace clean and organized present visual relief, but keeping your work and personal life organized and separated allows mental relief, too.
Staying Organized Now
In the midst of a pandemic, keeping your desk in order has become a necessity. If you’re working from home, work tends to spread itself out into the household. If you don’t keep it organized and contained, work can quickly overtake the space that is meant for you to be recharging. Keeping these separate is so important, not only for your productivity but for your mental health as well.
Even if you aren’t working from home and are still getting to use your office desk, organization is just as important. A straightened desk is easier to disinfect, to gather important documents (for meetings or to take home), and to visually move through. Where these points land on a scale of priority is different for everyone. However, they are vital to the ease of life right now and will assist you in eliminating unnecessary stress. We don’t need extra stress which can lead to mental and physical ailments in an already physically liable world.
I can’t say it enough, take the time to sort yourself out every day. It’s o.k. to feel like the pandemic is getting to you! In fact, admitting it is probably the first step in reclaiming your sanity. During a time with so many unknowns and the number of COVID-19 cases on the rise, it’s important for us to be kind to ourselves. Dealing with the ramifications of the pandemic is stressful and work shouldn’t be the thing that breaks you. Because at the end of the day, all we can do is try to stay healthy and try to do our jobs well.
Extras!
In the same way that keeping organized can help you stay mentally healthier, keeping clean during this crazy time can make a huge difference for your physical health as well. For more like this, check out “Keeping Clean: What does clean mean?”
This post was strongly inspired by the Bustle article, “Health Benefits Of Being Organized.”