Posted by DEAN SKIP RUTHERFORD – Those of us who have cluttered desks and offices are from time to time questioned about organizational skills and efficiency. After all, we have been taught neatness all our lives — from picking up our toys as children to making sure our lawns are mowed as adults. I’ve worked with people who are “neat freaks” and those whose desks are so clean they remind you of a “do not touch” museum artifact.
CBS Sunday Morning’s segment today on “mess” was refreshing. Not only did it feature messy offices, but it concluded that those who worked in cluttered surroundings were 36 percent more efficient in their tasks. After years of defending my position, I feel vindicated.
I like working in and around clutter. When I file items away neatly, they are too often gone forever. When they are stacked in piles somewhere in my office, I know where I can locate them.
Eric Abrahamson and David Freedman’s book “A Perfect Mess” was also highlighted on the CBS show. I have the book, and it’s a must read to better understand those who work in cluttered surroundings. It calls for an open minded look at messiness, and I couldn’t agree more.
As Albert Einstein said, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what then, is an empy desk?”
For the record, my favorite “cluttered” office belongs to Professor Hoyt Purvis at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark. It is worth a trip to Kimpel Hall on the UofA campus to get a glimpse of this masterpiece. It actually could be a tourist attraction.
My favorite “cluttered” space is the kitchen in the Little Rock home of Bowen Law School Associate Dean John Dipippa and his wife, Karen. Dean Dipippa’s cooking demonstraton of his delicious Italian cuisine is an invitation one should never decline.
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