I spent three hours cleaning my desk yesterday.
Not because I wanted to. Because I had to.
My mind was scattered. Ideas weren't flowing. That campaign I needed to nail? Stuck.
Then it hit me - I couldn't think clearly because I couldn't see clearly.
Look, I'm not naturally tidy. Far from it. My desk often looks like a paper tornado hit it. But I've noticed something over years of running marketing campaigns and building brands:
Mess creates stress. And stress kills creativity.
Yale researchers recently backed this up. They found that visual clutter doesn't just look bad - it actually fights for space in your brain. Every random object in your vision is like someone tapping your shoulder, demanding attention.
Think about your desk right now.
That pile of receipts.
Those half-empty coffee cups.
The sticky notes that stopped being relevant weeks ago.
They're not just sitting there. They're stealing your focus.
I learned this the hard way at Cottonmount. We were launching a massive B2B campaign. Numbers weren't clicking. Message wasn't landing. I spent days staring at analytics, tweaking copy, adjusting images.
Nothing worked.
Then one morning, I snapped. Cleared everything off my desk except my laptop. Archived every email. Closed every tab.
The campaign concept hit me within an hour.
Maybe it was coincidence. But I don't think so.
See, my job is cutting through noise. Making complex ideas simple. Speaking clearly to people who are already drowning in information.
But I was trying to create clarity from chaos.
Trying to simplify while surrounded by complexity.
Trying to focus while swimming in distractions.
It doesn't work.
You know what made me write this? Walking past our office kitchen earlier. Someone had lined up all the mugs perfectly. All handles pointing the same way. It looked oddly satisfying.
Made me realise - order isn't just about tidiness.
It's about intention.
Purpose.
Focus.
Start small. Clear your desk tonight before leaving work. Delete those apps you haven't touched in months. Close the tabs you "might need later."
Pay attention to what changes.
Watch how your mind moves differently.
Notice how ideas flow cleaner.
Feel how decisions come easier.
Because here's what nobody tells you about clutter - it's not about the space it takes up on your desk.
It's about the space it takes up in your head.
Been meaning to write about this for a while. Curious if it hits home for anyone else? Drop a comment if you've noticed how your space affects your work.
And if you're into these kinds of insights about performance and creativity, jump on my weekly newsletter. No clutter - just honest thoughts about making better work.
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