Spring Cleaning

Once upon a time, this was the time of the year when spring cleaning was the center of household activity. Some researchers attribute its origins to the Iranian Norouz, the Persian new year which marks the first day of spring. Tradition was that Iranians would “shake the house” prior to and in anticipation of the new year.

Don’t worry – this column isn’t going to be about household cleaning tips, something that is definitely not in my wheelhouse! Rather, I’d like to apply the metaphor to getting your work-related house in order.

I’m sure many of you have ancient piles of paper or woefully accumulated emails in your inbox or have something that isn’t organized as well as you’d like. What can you do now to make some improvements and reboot your productivity?

True confession: I’ve been in a paper purging mode for quite a while, the culmination of which was 14 boxes turned over to a mobile shredding company. The act of seeing all of that paper destroyed was practically cathartic!

Refreshing your work space can make a difference not just in your physical productivity, but in your mental productivity. Clearing the material will lighten your cerebral load in ways that will surprise you.

One important warning: do not use the concept of a major overhaul as a procrastination tactic to detract from more substantial and important projects! You can break your cleaning initiative into manageable pieces or if the thought simply overwhelms you, hire a professional organizer to help you wade through it.

I’m eager to hear about your spring cleaning experiences!

Have a great day!

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