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by Max Bennett
Have you ever looked at your work desk and wondered… is this a desk or the junk drawer’s corporate cousin? Between the fossilized Post-it notes and stress ball that’s somehow stickier than it should be, it can feel more like an archaeological dig site than a workspace. But don’t worry—we’re not aiming for Pinterest-perfect. We’re going for ten minutes, no tears, and maybe even a little satisfaction.
Welcome to the Desk Detox. You will NOT be judged for the expired trail mix you might find. Let’s make your workspace actually work for you—without needing a full-blown weekend project.
Your desk is more than just where your coffee cup goes to die. It’s your productivity launchpad, focus zone, and sometimes your dining table (no shame in that game). When this space is cluttered, your brain can feel equally foggy.
Decluttering your desk can reduce stress and increase focus by up to 48%, according to various productivity studies by people with much cleaner desks than mine.
The good news? You don’t need a label maker or hours of free time. You just need ten minutes and the willingness to part ways with some questionable paper clips.
Grab your phone and take a brutally honest photo of your desk. Why?
Set a timer for 2 minutes. (Yes, really.) Your only job? Physically remove everything from the top of your desk and place it on the floor, your chair, or a designated “chaos pile.”
This clears the metaphorical (and literal) deck and gives you a blissfully blank canvas. Like when you repaint a room—but with fewer fumes and existential crises.
We need to talk about the mugs. If you’re anything like me, your desk is a miniature mug museum commemorating coffee-fueled deadlines gone by. Keep one, max two. Anything beyond that is hydrating your procrastination, not your body.
And for those wondering what to do with all that mug real estate—might I recommend The Ultimate Guide to Choosing and Using Reusable Water Bottles? Hydration > paper cup towers.
Now we face our shared enemy: stray papers.
Set a timer for 3 more minutes. Create three piles (yes, using actual piles):
If it’s older than your latest haircut or has coffee stains that look suspiciously like Rorschach tests, it can probably go.
You do NOT need to keep every post-it note with vague scribbles like “Idea 4 client” or “Call Susan???” written on them. If Future You can’t decode it—it’s time to let go.
You’ve got pens. But how many work?
Do a 60-second “Pen Power Hour.” Test EVERY pen in your drawer or cup. If it barely scribbles or writes like it’s dragging a tiny cement block—toss it or recycle it.
And if your drawer is still holding on to dried-out whiteboard markers (yet no whiteboard in sight), we need to have a different conversation.
Bonus points if you store 2–3 favorites in a cup and rehome the rest in a more “out of sight” location. Yes, that includes that glitter pen from 2009.
Cables. Headphones. Old flash drives. That one adapter for a device you can’t even identify anymore.
Do a rapid “techtidy.”
If your digital life also needs love, I highly recommend Declutter Your Digital Life next.
🎉 A clear surface that doesn’t instantly stress you out
🎉 Desk real estate reclaimed from the Mug Empire
🎉 Pens that actually write
🎉 A workspace that feels lighter and maybe just a little happier
A desk detox isn’t a one-time miracle. It’s like showering or flossing—every so often, you’ve got to do it again so things don’t spiral wildly out of orbit.
A few quick habits:
If you’re looking for calming late-workday routines, you might also like The Power of the Ta-Da List to close your day on a high note—even if the laundry didn’t get folded (again).
You did it! You cleaned your desk without uttering curse words or needing a junk drawer intervention hotline. Your workspace now supports your brain, your flow, and your actual coffee addiction without turning into a cafeteria tray.
If you’re feeling ambitious, share your before-and-after desk photos with us over on Instagram. Bonus points if one of them includes a dramatic lighting choice or a “finally found this under my monitor” mystery object.
Challenge: Try doing this Desk Detox once a month. You’ll thank yourself, your stress levels will thank you, and even your pens will thank you.
And with that, you can now sit at your desk and actually feel… ready. Or at the very least, not buried.
Go you.
Max Bennett
Max was once the king of procrastination, proudly sporting a "Deadline Enthusiast" badge. After realizing he spent more time organizing his desk than actually working, he dove headfirst into the world of productivity. Max now experiments with unconventional (and sometimes ridiculous) productivity hacks and shares what works—with plenty of laughs along the way.
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