Whatever kind of work you do, in this episode I’m walking you through several ways you can bring minimalism to work. After all, many people spend almost as many hours doing their work as they spend on their personal lives. I hope these tips help you to have a more productive and peaceful workspace.
Listen to the episode by hitting the play button or scroll down to read the article.
Today, I want to talk about minimalism in workspaces, but talking about minimalism and an office space isn’t broad enough, but I also can’t possibly talk about every type of different work and how to apply minimalism to that particular area. I decided to break it up into a few different areas. I hope you find these tips helpful!
At Work, In Person:
This may sound basic, but keep your drawers nicely sorted. It’s hard because you’re working and taking the time to tidy up might even be frowned upon. In the end, though, it’ll make you better able to work efficiently, so spending a little time outside of work hours will end up helping you to work more quickly and have a more enjoyable space.
On a similar note, keep your desktop sorted out! Ask yourself, “What do I really need and want on my desk?” From there, you can decide how many photos and desk toys you want. I know from experience that shuffling things around your desk isn’t productive.
If you need organizing tools, get them…but only if you actually have thought about it and determined that you need them. It’s easy to have a space full of organizers without being organized at all.
If there’s a lot of drama at work, choose carefully who you spend optional time with. On the other hand, find those people that are uplifting and eat your lunch or collaborate with them as much as possible. Yes, your desk space is important, but your head space and choosing to fill it with either negativity or positivity is way more important. Negativity is the worst kind of clutter.
Driving for Work/Commuter Tips:
Spending a lot of time in a vehicle can lead to a lot of garbage tucked into door pockets and cup holders. Having a system for your garbage is essential! Keep a bin, bag, or garbage gadget in your car so it’s easy to toss your apple cores.
There’s a rule in hiking; “Pack it in, pack it out.” The same applies to vehicles—if you pack it in, pack it out. Don’t leave garbage or objects behind, no matter how tired you are after your day of hard work.
Don’t forget to wash the outside of your vehicle! It can be a challenge—especially if you drive a commercial vehicle—but it’ll make you feel great to drive a rig that’s clean inside and out.
Find ways to eat healthfully while you’re on the road. It’s already a sedentary life to be driving and sitting so much, eating unhealthy junk foods all day doesn’t help. Minimalism has been a big help when it comes to travel and packing foods for my husband—we keep it simple and healthy, which saves food and menu prep time. I’ve been making myself 1-2 things at the beginning of the week so I can save food prep time and it’s been an awesome way to allow myself to have more time to write and podcast instead of spending that time on cooking or opting to grab something unhealthy, instead.
Working at Home
If you’re working an office Job at home, what do you really need on your desk and in your space? Also, since you’re working from home, I’m assuming you have at least a teeny bit more control of your space than when you’re at an office building. How can you be happier in your space? Better lighting? Tidying your home the night before? Take advantage of being the decider of your office space so you can add to your happiness.
If you’re working at home as a homemaker, what tools do you need? I know that as the keeper of budgets, schedules, activities, menus, etc., I have things I NEED, but don’t often treat myself to. It’s wrong and I’m working on it. Need an hour so you can take care of your budget? Schedule it in. Need a desk drawer so you can have a place to keep your tools? Re-organize the desk. Almost every type of work requires some type of tool, so making sure you have what you need as the home maker is important. With the wide variety within the many areas we manage, it’s impossible to do it well without having the essentials.
Put your work away when you’re done. While we spend a good part of our lives at our work, our home life is more important and where we can take care of ourselves, reenergize, and spend time with loved ones. No need to keep our work out on our desk or other areas; this visual will only nag at us and keep our minds from relaxing into our home life.
Minimalist Challenge: Ask yourself, “What’s one thing that bothers me about my work area?” Maybe it’s your cluttered desk, unorganized pantry, or trash in your vehicle. Whatever the case, spend ten minutes working on it during your lunch or after work hours until you’ve got it the way you want it.
Good luck with your workspace and remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.
Here’s the article I talked about in the podcast episode.
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My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism
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