Does a clean space lead to more productivity?

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Is the old adage true? Is a clean desk the sign of a cluttered drawer or it is a reflection of your clear state of mind? Let’s find out if a clean space leads to more productivity.

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It’s the absolute worst when something that shouldn’t take that long seems to just drag on and on forever. Of course, there are a ton of tips are tricks to help get your more productive see this post and that post.

But is any advice older than the cliche of a tidy space?

With spring cleaning on the horizon I’ve been thinking a lot about how much of a difference a clean space actually makes in our ability to be productive.

So here is it, The case for a clean space vs. the pros for a messy one. And which is better for you.

What a Messy Space Does for Us

For the majority of my life I’ve had a messy desk. A messy bedroom, a messy purse, just messy around.

And when my parents were on my case to clean up I felt very partial to Einstein’s quote and would often use it in my defence:

To this, my dad would roll his eyes but after sticking to this strategy for… years…. they finally stopped telling me to clean up.

And you know what?

I was a straight A student.

Increased Creativity

It’s sort of counter intuitive but a messy space has been linked to increased creativity and out of the box thinking.

Most of us are programmed to be neat and tidy but if we’re spending our time tidying up we’re not spending it on “needle moving” tasks according to some.

The idea is for us all to conform to convention but this leaves little room for innovation.

Building on this idea, a study at the University of Minnesota concluded that people were able to generate more creative ideas when in a messy space than a clean one.

A bit of mess can encourage our brain to work in a different way. We start to look for order in the chaos and the chaos helps us be more abstract in our thinking.

With this in mind, we can be more innovative since we don’t have the regular social confines actively impressing on us.

We can look at some incredibly accomplished innovators and creative thinkers for proof that a messy space doesn’t mean that we can’t get things done. Just look at Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Mark Twain, and Mark Zuckerberg to name a few.

More time

“Back in the day” it was seen as lazy to not have a messy workspace, it meant you didn’t have enough to do since you could spend your time cleaning.

This is sort of funny to think about since now the opposite seems to be true. When we see someone with a messy space we think they’re unproductive.

But at the same time, my house definitely gets messier when I’m busy so is there an element of truth to it?

If we’re busy (hopefully in a productive fashion) perhaps cleanness does go by the wayside. Since we’re not spending the time or energy cleaning we can use it in other areas. Perhaps working on a new project, spending more time with family or giving yourself a much needed break.

The downside of a messy space

This might be good news in a work environment but what about us at home?

Well I guess if you work from home and your office (or dining table) is a bit messy it’s not necessarily such a bad thing.

But when thinking about our regular living spaces you’d be hard-pressed to find someone that likes to cook in a dirty kitchen or have their kids play in a living room fraught with things that could break.

While a little bit of untidiness is ok, if it’s persistent enough to keep you from being able to find things or you’re attracting fruit flies it might be time to reassess.

• Related: Your Ultimate Guide to Spring Cleaning – with worksheet!
• Related: Create a Chores Tracker for your Bullet Journal

What are the reasons to have a clean space?

So now that we went through some of the reasons that a messy space might be useful to us, what about a clean space?

We’ve been nurtured to think that we should be neat and tidy so what are the real reasons behind the argument for a clean space?

Increased focus on the task at hand

While a messy space might help in idea generation for some, it can also be a huge distraction for others.

A clean, organized space can make us feel calmer and more able to focus on the task at hand. It also makes it easier to find things when they’re needed. And if you put it back in its place immediately, keeping the space tidy takes no more time or effort than keeping it messy.

At least in theory.

Marie Kondo says in her book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up that once we start to organize we reset our lives thus seeing things start to change in a positive direction.

Health Benefits of a clean space

The major reasons to keep your space tidy aren’t just for productivity purposes but also for health.

Having a clean space decreases stress and increases our sense of calm. Both good things for our mental health.

Then there is the pretty evident fact that a clean space harbors far less germs making it less likely that you’ll come down with a cold or flu. Periodic cleaning also cuts down on dust and allergens helping you breathe easy.

More time?

Ok, I know we talked about having more time in the messy section too but there is a clear argument for having more time when your space is clean as well.

When you have a clean space you know what you have and where it is.

You don’t have to endless rifle through piles to locate something and you don’t end up buying stuff you don’t need since you can see what you have.

The Verdict on a Clean Space

While the jury is still out on whether one is definitely better I can certainly say that since adopting a consistently cleaner lifestyle I have felt happier and more productive.

Being able to find the things that are needed when they’re needed has put time back into my days in a few ways. It’s cut down on runs to the store or time spent just fruitlessly looking for things.

But the biggest difference for is in how it feels to be in a clean space vs a messy space. Being in a messy room didn’t really bother me until I actually put the effort into cleaning it up.

After my space was clean the difference was immediate.

Focus was up, productivity was up, it was easier to “get in the groove” and it was easier to wind down.

Don’t get me wrong, things get a little untidy from time to time but that also shows the difference a clean space gives. The clutter is a distraction and stands out until put away.

And after it is, the calm and focused feeling comes back.

What about you?

Which side of the coin do you fall on? Do you feel more creative in a bit of a messy space or so you like to keep things neat?

Tell me in the comments below!

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