3. No one wants to work at a messy desk and look lazy. But not all disorders mean you're out of control. Even Steve Jobs thought his personal charm (魅力) came from his messy desktop. Many famous thinkers also had such desktops.
Disorder can bring creativity.
Many people are thought of "inefficient" (不高效的) because of messy desks. However, when we see the desks of Albert Einstein, Mark Twain and Mark Zuckerberg—pioneers of their times—things might change. Clearly, the world welcomes order; it also never refuses the disorder, which seems like a mess but runs in an organized way.
Why do messy desks bring creativity?
In a research by psychologist (心理学家) Kathleen Vohs, participants (参与者) were asked to think about new uses for ping-pong balls. Both participants in the messy and clean offices created the same number of ideas. However, those in the messy room came up with more interesting and creative ideas.
Research has found people working with a messy desktop are more likely to be creative and willing to take risks, while people with a tidy one may follow the rules and are less likely to try new things. Vohs says, "Messy environments seem to make people to break tradition, which can produce fresh ideas."
Why do they prefer messy desks?
Usually, there are three reasons why some people love a messy desk more. First, it makes them comfortable. A too-tidy room can sometimes make them uncomfortable, because it seems there is no place to rest their feet. Second, it helps them notice something more easily, just like some writers can write patiently in a noisy cafe. Third, they may be perfectionists (完美主义者). For those who strive for perfection, they usually put away the less important things and do the most important ones perfectly, which leads to paper mountains on the desktop.
But a messy desk might not be good all the time. When you need new ideas, a messy desk might be a good choice; but when you want to be efficient, it seems better to make a desk clean and tidy.
But no matter what kind of desk you love more, we hope you feel comfortable and enjoy it!