We spend a large chunk of our lives sat at our desks doing work, surrounded by documents and notebooks as we type away 9-5. When we do the same tasks day in, day out it can be hard to stay motivated and keep productivity at an optimum level.

Sometimes all it takes is a resetting of your mindset to make the biggest difference, and your workspace is an excellent place to start. Our areas of work can become hectic and cluttered when we are using them every day. Empty wrappers, coffee cups and bits of paper all start to mount up and this can be a distraction from the day's work.  

Many of us will find that a quick tidy of our desks can have a huge impact on the way we think about our tasks. Self-storage company Storebox, want to help you create a more minimalist and clearer workspace to help you focus on that task at hand. That's why they've asked a handful of professionals to tell us how their workspace affects their productivity levels and why our desks have so much power over our mental state. 

Clutter on the desk causes clutter in the mind

Our desks are very much like a room in our home, we spend most of our time sat at it working away Monday-Friday. Rubbish can start to collect and when we're running around to meetings and client lunches, it can quickly start to look a little cluttered.

Excess items strewn across our desks not only cause a distraction, but attracts procrastination. When talking about how to control this clutter, Matt Goolding from KYO Digital said: "In the office, a clear desk assists a clear mind. My aim is that if an item isn't for use within 2 days, store it or bin it."

Much like our homes, we can start to collect items that have some form of sentimental meaning or are simply unimportant to the work we're trying to complete. Getting rid of those unwanted items can refresh our workspace and give us a blank, new space to begin work.

How to downsize your desk and boost productivity

A great place to start downsizing your desk is to take a step back and identifying what items are integral to your day to day tasks, and what is purely for show. As much as small trinkets can help you feel more at home when you're stuck in the office, they can also be a distraction.

Give yourself little opportunity to procrastinate instead of doing your work, by creating a completely clear space. All you should have is the basics, a notepad, a pen and your computer, this gives you one single point to focus on and will help you concentrate on what you're supposed to be.

Katy Kicker from Katykicker.com explained how keeping her workspace tidy helps her focus on her work and keep a level head. "Having a tidy workspace helps me keep my mind clear of stress. By keeping my desk and workspace tidy I am able to concentrate on my work, create to-do lists and stay organised.".

Getting rid of digital clutter

It's not just our desk space that can be prone to clutter, our laptop desktop can also accumulate various files and folders when we're too lazy to save them in the correct places.

Have a sort every week to make sure you have all your files in order and to keep your desktop clear. This can also help you find important documents and other files quicker and easier.

Boosting productivity is all about focusing and concentrating on the task in hand. This means that the clearer you make your surroundings, the easier you will find it to focus on the work you're supposed to be doing. Without things dotted around to distract you and tempt you into procrastination, you'll find that your productivity increases and any stress over mounting work will start to ease as your workload decreases.