![\"essentialism](\"http:\/\/snapreads.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/41qANxacOkL-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nessentialism<\/h2>\n\n\n\nby Greg Mckeown<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u23f1 14 minutes reading time<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83c\udfa7 Audio version available<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\nGet the key ideas on Snapreads<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nBuy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nPut Your Clean Desk Policy in Writing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe best way to introduce a clean desk policy in your workplace is to put it into writing for your team. You need to clearly communicate this policy, so that everyone starts to comply with it straight away. Make sure you are clear about the consequences of not following the policy, or you may find that people don\u2019t take it seriously. From there, you can focus on getting everyone to start planning how they will work with this policy to ensure they can still effectively carry out their job each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lead by Example<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf you are a business owner or leader, you need to lead by example when it comes to your clean desk policy. The senior management within the organization need to showcase the benefits of this policy to everyone else. When they don\u2019t care about following the rules, why will anyone else in your company bother? You\u2019ll want to sit with the senior managers to ensure they are all willing to follow the policy and show everyone else how a clean desk policy can benefit your working lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Offer Storage to Your Employees<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAfter communicating that you will be creating a clean desk policy, you need to ensure you have everything in place to store paperwork or valuables. Sensitive documents need to be placed somewhere that no one else can access. Many companies add small storage boxes for their employees, which can easily fit under their desks without getting in the way. You need to ensure any type of storage can be secured, so that sensitive data is protected from prying eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Focus on Electronic Communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
With so many companies striving to reduce their paper consumption, it\u2019s easier than ever to implement a clean desk policy in your business. We know that many businesses still go through a lot of unnecessary paper every day, and if that\u2019s the case for your business, it\u2019s time to encourage everyone to go electronic with their documents. This works hand in hand with a clean desk policy, making it much easier for everyone to avoid piles of paper. Make sure you keep a backup of any important documents though, as this is a risk of using electronic copies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tidy Up at the End of Each Day<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe easiest way to keep your desk clean is to tidy up a little bit each day. At the end of the day, remind your employees of the policy and ensure they are tidy their space before going home. Tidying up can help to keep any space clean and organized, offering everyone the benefits of a clean desk policy when they arrive at a stress-free desk the next morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Create Signs to Remind Employees of the Clean Desk Policy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEmployees will need to be reminded often about the clean desk policy when you first implement it. Put up signs in the main areas of your office, or even add a small sign to each desk to remind everyone of the policy. This visual reminder will help ensure that they stay on top of their desk and its cleanliness at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use Office Monitors<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nDepending on how seriously your business takes its clean desk policy, you may want to think about appointing office monitors. Unfortunately, without any type of monitoring in your workplace, it may be almost impossible for you to maintain this policy. We recommend having an office manager walk around the space each day, noting who is and isn\u2019t following the policy. While you may think that this could cause issues in the office, it is the easiest way to ensure you keep on track of who isn\u2019t following the new rules. You can create little cards to leave on the desks that need some work, and reward the employees who are following the policy properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Host a Clean Desk Contest<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBy making your clean desk policy a competition, you\u2019ll be more likely to get your team members invested. When you first introduce the clean desk policy into your workplace, host a competition between employees or teams to see who has the cleanest and tidiest desk. This will give everyone incentive to start organizing their desks. You\u2019ll find that a clean desk policy only works when everyone is on the same page, so make sure you explicitly explain the advantages of this policy regularly, so that people realize it will help them be more organized going forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many benefits of adding a clean desk policy to your workplace. While this may seem like an ambitious project, in the long run, you\u2019ll find that everyone is less stressed and more organized. We recommend following the advice we shared above to help get everyone on board, so that you can all experience the benefits of the clean desk policy. Lead by example and it will be easier than you expect to get everyone in compliance with your new company policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Put Your Clean Desk Policy in Writing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe best way to introduce a clean desk policy in your workplace is to put it into writing for your team. You need to clearly communicate this policy, so that everyone starts to comply with it straight away. Make sure you are clear about the consequences of not following the policy, or you may find that people don\u2019t take it seriously. From there, you can focus on getting everyone to start planning how they will work with this policy to ensure they can still effectively carry out their job each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lead by Example<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf you are a business owner or leader, you need to lead by example when it comes to your clean desk policy. The senior management within the organization need to showcase the benefits of this policy to everyone else. When they don\u2019t care about following the rules, why will anyone else in your company bother? You\u2019ll want to sit with the senior managers to ensure they are all willing to follow the policy and show everyone else how a clean desk policy can benefit your working lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Offer Storage to Your Employees<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAfter communicating that you will be creating a clean desk policy, you need to ensure you have everything in place to store paperwork or valuables. Sensitive documents need to be placed somewhere that no one else can access. Many companies add small storage boxes for their employees, which can easily fit under their desks without getting in the way. You need to ensure any type of storage can be secured, so that sensitive data is protected from prying eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Focus on Electronic Communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
With so many companies striving to reduce their paper consumption, it\u2019s easier than ever to implement a clean desk policy in your business. We know that many businesses still go through a lot of unnecessary paper every day, and if that\u2019s the case for your business, it\u2019s time to encourage everyone to go electronic with their documents. This works hand in hand with a clean desk policy, making it much easier for everyone to avoid piles of paper. Make sure you keep a backup of any important documents though, as this is a risk of using electronic copies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tidy Up at the End of Each Day<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe easiest way to keep your desk clean is to tidy up a little bit each day. At the end of the day, remind your employees of the policy and ensure they are tidy their space before going home. Tidying up can help to keep any space clean and organized, offering everyone the benefits of a clean desk policy when they arrive at a stress-free desk the next morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Create Signs to Remind Employees of the Clean Desk Policy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEmployees will need to be reminded often about the clean desk policy when you first implement it. Put up signs in the main areas of your office, or even add a small sign to each desk to remind everyone of the policy. This visual reminder will help ensure that they stay on top of their desk and its cleanliness at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use Office Monitors<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nDepending on how seriously your business takes its clean desk policy, you may want to think about appointing office monitors. Unfortunately, without any type of monitoring in your workplace, it may be almost impossible for you to maintain this policy. We recommend having an office manager walk around the space each day, noting who is and isn\u2019t following the policy. While you may think that this could cause issues in the office, it is the easiest way to ensure you keep on track of who isn\u2019t following the new rules. You can create little cards to leave on the desks that need some work, and reward the employees who are following the policy properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Host a Clean Desk Contest<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBy making your clean desk policy a competition, you\u2019ll be more likely to get your team members invested. When you first introduce the clean desk policy into your workplace, host a competition between employees or teams to see who has the cleanest and tidiest desk. This will give everyone incentive to start organizing their desks. You\u2019ll find that a clean desk policy only works when everyone is on the same page, so make sure you explicitly explain the advantages of this policy regularly, so that people realize it will help them be more organized going forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many benefits of adding a clean desk policy to your workplace. While this may seem like an ambitious project, in the long run, you\u2019ll find that everyone is less stressed and more organized. We recommend following the advice we shared above to help get everyone on board, so that you can all experience the benefits of the clean desk policy. Lead by example and it will be easier than you expect to get everyone in compliance with your new company policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
If you are a business owner or leader, you need to lead by example when it comes to your clean desk policy. The senior management within the organization need to showcase the benefits of this policy to everyone else. When they don\u2019t care about following the rules, why will anyone else in your company bother? You\u2019ll want to sit with the senior managers to ensure they are all willing to follow the policy and show everyone else how a clean desk policy can benefit your working lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Offer Storage to Your Employees<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAfter communicating that you will be creating a clean desk policy, you need to ensure you have everything in place to store paperwork or valuables. Sensitive documents need to be placed somewhere that no one else can access. Many companies add small storage boxes for their employees, which can easily fit under their desks without getting in the way. You need to ensure any type of storage can be secured, so that sensitive data is protected from prying eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Focus on Electronic Communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
With so many companies striving to reduce their paper consumption, it\u2019s easier than ever to implement a clean desk policy in your business. We know that many businesses still go through a lot of unnecessary paper every day, and if that\u2019s the case for your business, it\u2019s time to encourage everyone to go electronic with their documents. This works hand in hand with a clean desk policy, making it much easier for everyone to avoid piles of paper. Make sure you keep a backup of any important documents though, as this is a risk of using electronic copies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tidy Up at the End of Each Day<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe easiest way to keep your desk clean is to tidy up a little bit each day. At the end of the day, remind your employees of the policy and ensure they are tidy their space before going home. Tidying up can help to keep any space clean and organized, offering everyone the benefits of a clean desk policy when they arrive at a stress-free desk the next morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Create Signs to Remind Employees of the Clean Desk Policy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEmployees will need to be reminded often about the clean desk policy when you first implement it. Put up signs in the main areas of your office, or even add a small sign to each desk to remind everyone of the policy. This visual reminder will help ensure that they stay on top of their desk and its cleanliness at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use Office Monitors<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nDepending on how seriously your business takes its clean desk policy, you may want to think about appointing office monitors. Unfortunately, without any type of monitoring in your workplace, it may be almost impossible for you to maintain this policy. We recommend having an office manager walk around the space each day, noting who is and isn\u2019t following the policy. While you may think that this could cause issues in the office, it is the easiest way to ensure you keep on track of who isn\u2019t following the new rules. You can create little cards to leave on the desks that need some work, and reward the employees who are following the policy properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Host a Clean Desk Contest<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBy making your clean desk policy a competition, you\u2019ll be more likely to get your team members invested. When you first introduce the clean desk policy into your workplace, host a competition between employees or teams to see who has the cleanest and tidiest desk. This will give everyone incentive to start organizing their desks. You\u2019ll find that a clean desk policy only works when everyone is on the same page, so make sure you explicitly explain the advantages of this policy regularly, so that people realize it will help them be more organized going forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many benefits of adding a clean desk policy to your workplace. While this may seem like an ambitious project, in the long run, you\u2019ll find that everyone is less stressed and more organized. We recommend following the advice we shared above to help get everyone on board, so that you can all experience the benefits of the clean desk policy. Lead by example and it will be easier than you expect to get everyone in compliance with your new company policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Employees will need to be reminded often about the clean desk policy when you first implement it. Put up signs in the main areas of your office, or even add a small sign to each desk to remind everyone of the policy. This visual reminder will help ensure that they stay on top of their desk and its cleanliness at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use Office Monitors<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nDepending on how seriously your business takes its clean desk policy, you may want to think about appointing office monitors. Unfortunately, without any type of monitoring in your workplace, it may be almost impossible for you to maintain this policy. We recommend having an office manager walk around the space each day, noting who is and isn\u2019t following the policy. While you may think that this could cause issues in the office, it is the easiest way to ensure you keep on track of who isn\u2019t following the new rules. You can create little cards to leave on the desks that need some work, and reward the employees who are following the policy properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Host a Clean Desk Contest<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBy making your clean desk policy a competition, you\u2019ll be more likely to get your team members invested. When you first introduce the clean desk policy into your workplace, host a competition between employees or teams to see who has the cleanest and tidiest desk. This will give everyone incentive to start organizing their desks. You\u2019ll find that a clean desk policy only works when everyone is on the same page, so make sure you explicitly explain the advantages of this policy regularly, so that people realize it will help them be more organized going forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many benefits of adding a clean desk policy to your workplace. While this may seem like an ambitious project, in the long run, you\u2019ll find that everyone is less stressed and more organized. We recommend following the advice we shared above to help get everyone on board, so that you can all experience the benefits of the clean desk policy. Lead by example and it will be easier than you expect to get everyone in compliance with your new company policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
By making your clean desk policy a competition, you\u2019ll be more likely to get your team members invested. When you first introduce the clean desk policy into your workplace, host a competition between employees or teams to see who has the cleanest and tidiest desk. This will give everyone incentive to start organizing their desks. You\u2019ll find that a clean desk policy only works when everyone is on the same page, so make sure you explicitly explain the advantages of this policy regularly, so that people realize it will help them be more organized going forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many benefits of adding a clean desk policy to your workplace. While this may seem like an ambitious project, in the long run, you\u2019ll find that everyone is less stressed and more organized. We recommend following the advice we shared above to help get everyone on board, so that you can all experience the benefits of the clean desk policy. Lead by example and it will be easier than you expect to get everyone in compliance with your new company policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/snapreads.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/2-1.png\")
<\/figure><\/center>\n\n\n\n