If you’ve ever argued with someone who can find anything amongst a mountain of paperwork, this is the person you’re trying to emulate! Well, perhaps their level of disorder isn’t the right level for you, but what you’re aiming for is organised chaos. Books may sit at odd angles on shelves, you may have piles of paper all over your desk, but so long as you can find what you need in a pinch, you’ve got the all clear. When it takes you forever to locate what you need, it’s time to start tidying!

Starting the New Year with a clear desk is like starting with a clean slate; it’s a chance to re-set, shake off bad habits and creative an environment conducive to new ones. If you have the opportunity to do a thorough clean up, by all means go ahead, but don’t feel the need to ensure your desk is this tidy at the end of each day.

It’s all well and good to embrace the “perfect mess” but don’t let this compromise the cleanliness of your environment. Failing to file your paperwork in perfect rows can be passed off as unconventional, but encouraging germs to breed is just plain lazy. Don’t let dirty dishes pile up for days, sweep away any crumbs and be sure to throw away food wrappers and scraps ASAP.