The Unlikely Relationship Between Being Messy and Creative

Is your desk really, messy? Do you find it hard to find an important piece of paper because it’s hidden beneath loads of unimportant ones? Do colleagues often comment on how messy your desk is?

If the answer is ‘yes’ to all of the above questions, then there is nothing to fear. It is now time to discard the saying a ‘tidy desk, tidy mind,’ as it has been discovered that having a cluttered desk actually improves creativity!

Why being messy connects to being creative

A study was conducted to find out the true effect of messy desks in our workflow. As a surprise result, the study determined that the mountains of mess consisting of unorganised papers is actually more beneficial to the way we think. This is because the study attributes creative ideas and thought processes being down to clutter.

The study revolves around an experiment carried out by Kathleen Vohs consisting of two groups, one set in a clean environment, whilst the other in a messy, unorganised office. Both groups were asked to brainstorm ideas for how ping-pong balls can be used in new, different ways.

The results from the experiment indicated that those in a messy environment came up with new, innovative uses. Whereas, those in the clean office came up with uses that are more similar to conventional uses of ping-pong balls. This result supports the concept that being messy induces to creativity.

In fact, some of history’s most famous people had messy desks. For example, Albert Einstein was extremely messy yet he was able to think creatively and discover the theory of relativity.

Another study was carried out by the University of Groningen, Netherlands to also determine the impact of productivity when working at a messy desk. This study is also in favour of messy desks as it has found that working in a messy environment encourages us to be more focused on our goals. As a result of these desks we become more organised and productive.

Even though the above two examples address the advantages of messy desks, having a tidy desk isn’t all bad! Studies have been conducted and found that those who prefer to work in tidy environments donate more to charity, snack on healthier food and live a proactive lifestyle. Therefore, there are also some benefits of tidy desks over messy ones!

What ABL products can create a tidy desk?

Although it has been indicated that being messy leads to creativity, at the end of the day it depends on the individual and how they can work efficiently and productively. Therefore, if you find that you work best with a clean desk, then you should read about our recommendations below to help you achieve that mess free working environment.

Cable Spines

This is one of our popular cable management tools, which hides all of your desk wires in one place. They are mainly found positioned on top of the desk, however if you prefer you can also put them underneath the desk.

They create a tidy working environment because the clutter of wires is out of sight, thusly reducing potential distractions caused by them.

They are also flexible which allows ease and slight movements if required once installed.

Wire Baskets

Our wire baskets sit beneath the desk itself and are used to hold all of your wires together. They are ideal for the heavy duty wires that require more support. This is beneficial to cleaning up your work space because it removes the clutter of wires, hiding them from sight.

You can request what length the wire basket has to be to suit your needs and requirements.

BONUS: In addition to this, our wire baskets and cable spines help to reduce any office accidents by removing the potential of tripping over wires.

Flat screen Monitor Arms

At ABL we also recommend any one of our flat screen monitor arms. We offer a range of arms that support a single monitor, or ones that can hold two monitors.

Monitor arms are useful in tidying up your desk because they efficiently free up valuable space that is normally used for the monitor stand. This provides employees with more space and feel in control as they can move the monitor to facilitate the employee’s preferences.

CPU Holders

Another one of our products that is recommended, is the CPU holder. We recommend this for the same reason as our flat screen monitor arms, as it allows employees to gain back valuable desk space.

In addition to this, they also increase the longevity of your CPU and reduce the build-up of dust.

If you would like more information on our range of products, give us a call on 01933 400 080. We’d love to hear about your messy or clean desks!