19 Aug 5 reasons why a tidy workspace is vital while at university
Manor Interiors, the expert in build-to-rent furnishing solutions, has studied how maintaining a tidy work environment and living space can help new students maximise productivity as they enter the world of higher education.
Following one of the most impressive A-Level results days in recent memory, a new cohort of school-leavers will now be preparing to embark on the adventure of university in the hope of setting themselves up for a successful and rewarding career of work.
But that’s only one aspect of the university experience. The other is, of course, social. It’s often the first time living away from home and being surrounded by all of that excitement can push academic studies to the back of the priority list.
Despite this difficulty, it’s vital to find a way of managing it – university is far too expensive nowadays to fritter the education aspect away. One simple change that students can make is to alter the setup and organisation of their work and living space in order to maximise productivity. To understand exactly why, Manor Interiors has outlined four ways in which tidiness can lead to good health and academic excellence.
A better use of time
Clutter and mess in the workspace act as a convenient excuse for postponing studies. The idea of having to first tidy the desk, for example, before studies can commence is often enough to be put off working altogether.
Even if the motivation does arrive, it takes time to first organise the workspace, time that could otherwise be better spent. If the workspace is ripe and ready to go first thing in the morning, it’s much easier to find the motivation to study.
Improved mood and emotion
Should it be decided that, instead of wasting time tidying the workspace, studies will commence amidst the chaos, it can be almost impossible to enter a productive mindset when the working environment is in disarray.
Furthermore, an untidy workspace has been proven to intensify negative emotions such as sadness, anxiety, guilt, and even shame. Put simply, mess is demoralising – it can make relatively simple tasks feel impossible as the sense of personal pride takes a big hit. Keeping the space tidy and ready for work is a fast track to increased confidence, productivity and self-belief.
Reduced stress and increased motivation
Mess equals stress, and chaos and clutter create stressful environments. Feeling stressed out increases fatigue and reduces willingness to sit down and study. Tidy spaces, on the other hand, create feelings of calm and high energy, both of which contribute to better productivity, increased clarity of thought, higher levels of motivation, and a much faster restorative period between study sessions.
Maintaining health and wellbeing
All of the above advice is working towards one ultimate goal – improved physical and mental health. Stress, anxiety, fatigue – they all contribute to poor physical and mental health which in turn hinder the ability to work productively and efficiently. Mental health issues and the associated negative effects can last far beyond university years and start eating into professional careers and personal lives; avoiding any unnecessary contributors to this early on in life can help mitigate them over the long-term.
In terms of physical health, dirt and mess is a fast track to bugs and bacteria which can all lead to illness and infection that further hinders the ability to work productively.
A well-organised and ordered workspace and living environment does wonders for productivity and health. And when combined with periodical exercise, a decent diet and exposure to natural light, it can help students feel fresh and energised throughout their time at university, even when the more exciting aspects of student life start to make the studies themselves feel like an inconvenience.
CEO of Manor Interiors, Farhan Malik, commented:
“Embarking on the university journey is a thrilling milestone in many people’s lives. It marks the start of independence, autonomy, and, for most, the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
“But university life also throws an awful lot at us – from early morning lectures and intensive workloads to learning how to stand on our two feet; it can easily overwhelm. It might seem trite to suggest that, during this momentous time of change, keeping a tidy room is a vital consideration, but it’s true.
“At university, we often live and work in the same small dorm room or within a share house. With all the chaos of uni life, keeping this space clean and tidy can seem impossible. But with the simple and thoughtful use of furniture and layout, keeping tidy becomes much easier. A desk with built-in storage space, for example, makes it easy to keep the desktop itself clean and ready for work. And placing that desk next to a bright window ensures we’re getting all of the natural light that is vital for energising an active mind.”
