Organizing documents on your desk can significantly reduce stress and anxiety. Workplace clutter often leads to cognitive overload, as the brain struggles to process excessive irrelevant information, causing distraction, fatigue, and increased nervous tension.
According to Oxu.Az, Russian psychologist and psychoanalytic therapist Maria Bodryagina discussed key points on the topic in an interview with Gazeta.ru. According to the expert, creating order affects our psychology in three ways:
- Restoring a sense of control: Inner anxiety often stems from uncertainty. Grouping papers and organizing the environment fosters the thought 'this part is manageable.'
- Closing 'open loops': Each pile of clutter on the desk signals an 'incomplete task' to the brain. The subconscious holds onto these small details, raising overall stress levels. By tidying up, we turn off these signals.
- Quick results and productivity: Organizing space is a simple activity, yet it gives a sense of completion and productivity.
However, the psychologist also warned of potential downsides. For perfectionists or those prone to obsessive thoughts, excessive tidying can exacerbate stress.
'If a slight deviation from order causes significant stress and leads to constant 'flawlessness' checks instead of peace, it's no longer ordinary organization but an attempt at absolute control. In such cases, tidying can become a compulsive syndrome,' the expert added.
The expert emphasized that while creating order is an effective temporary method to suppress anxiety, it does not solve the root cause. If inner anxiety is chronic, consulting a professional psychologist is the best course of action.
