how messy is your desk?
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How messy is your desk at work? And more importantly, how dirty do you think it is? You might well have the neatest and most clutter-free desk in the office, but don’t feel too smug – chances are that it could have up to 400-times more bacteria on it than a toilet seat! Around 40% of office workers polled by experts at NEC-Mitsubishi in 2004 said they suffered from "Irritable Desk Syndrome" – they told researchers that they were infuriated by too much clutter and paper on their desks but could not be bothered to do anything about it, causing stress and a drop in productivity due to frustration and disorganization. On the other hand however, there may some benefits to working in a little bit of organised chaos – a recent study by psychologists at the University of Minnesota showed that working at messy desks, tends to stimulate creativity and a willingness to try new things. A neat and organized desk however cultured a more conventional approach, generosity, and strangely, an inclination towards healthy foods! Regardless of these pros and cons, a messy or cluttered is one thing – but a having a clean workspace can definitely make a difference. Bacteria are far more abundant at people's desks than office restrooms - The average office desktop has 400 times more bacteria than the average office toilet seat, and it's the work areas of the fairer sex that usually contain the most germs. According to a new study from the University of Arizona, Women have three to four times the number of bacteria in, on and around their desks, phones, computers, keyboards, drawers and personal items as men do! "I thought for sure men would be germier," said the study’s germ-expert. "But women have more interactions with small children and keep food in their desks. The other problem is makeup." Women's offices typically looked cleaner, but women tend to have more items that can harbor germs on their desks. Makeup cases are a top culprit, with the phone, purse and desk drawer also common germ homes. Using hand lotion and makeup can also cause problems as lotion often traps germs, while applying make-up, with a lot of mouth- and face-touching transfers them. The worst germ offender however in the office overall is men's wallets. "It's in your back pocket where it's nice and warm, it's a great incubator for bacteria," Mobile phones and personal devices are also high on the list of germ-carriers across both sexes – Particularly considering how many people use their phones in the bathroom! Do you use your phone on the loo? See more at http://www.welovewipes.com/en/view/how-messy-is-your-desk-at-work/TRANSCRIPT
4
76%
500
http://www.11mark.com/IT-in-the-Toilet
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Health/story? id=2273311#.UWPldaVgPzI
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/13/ mobile-phones-uk-e-coli
How
Is YOUR Workspace?Our workspaces are a reflection of us!
Is your desk a picture of order and calm, or is it a little bit more chaotic? Get the facts on how messy and uncleandesks can affect both your
productivity and health...
40of office workerssuffer from%
“Irritable Desk Syndrome”Which is caused by
too muchAnd can lead to a
distinct
on desks in productivity
clutter drop
Regularly through away anything you definitely don’t need, and box anything that you might. Also, try not to simply organize things in neat piles! (They’ll still be there in six months and twice as big!)
...so keep it tidy!
But is your desk clean?
4The average office desk has
xmore bacteria than the average office-washroom toilet seat...
and although Womens’ desks tend to be tidier,
WOMEN have 3-4 times the number of bacteriain, on and around their desks and belongings as men do...
!
THE CULPRITS: Phones, purses, make-up cases, desk-drawers.
But the worst germ offender in the office overall is MEN's wallets (usually kept nice and warm in back pockets) closely followed by cell phones,,,
Eating lunch
at your deskalso increases the chances of nasty bacteria
growing & collecting round your workspace, yet
47% of us still do it...
only wash our hands occasionally before eating!
and a quarter of us
(...but that tends to be men.)
The proper way to keep a desk clean and germ-free is by using disinfectant wipes. Just using a wet paper towel simply spreads the germs around and using soap and water can leave bacteria behind.
Avoid spraying disinfectant directly on phones or keyboards, Using hand sanitizer can also keep germs down.
Key areas like desktops, phones and keyboards should be disinfected once in a while.
Using disinfectant wipes regularly on your work surface can reduce the number of bacteria present by 25%
top tips!
Sources:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3571735.stm
http://earthsky.org/human-world/what-does-your-desk-say-about-you
http://ag.arizona.edu/media/archives/6.17.html
http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2013/02/eating_lunch_at_your_desk_can_ex-pose_you.html