As a fan of GTD, I have been able to organize my personal workspace to match my work style. Having a private office helps me keep control. However, many office workers are stuck in shared workspace situations. While they can control their own immediate spot, the common areas seem to be an unruly land. Is it possible to organize a shared workspace?

Francesca Stracuzzi recently mapped out a way to do so in five steps on the KonMari website. The first step is to take stock of your office’s current state.

“Many desks are overloaded, and both paper and digital archives are not functional, making it difficult to find documents and files,” she says. “A messy and disorganized desk generates stress, anxiety and demotivation, and, in the midst of that chaos, it also reduces our ability to make decisions. I am convinced that space affects our emotions and conditions our performance, so freeing the desk means lightening the mind and working with more serenity and clarity.”

The next step is to get support from leadership.

“In my work experience, I have seen that the management of space, particularly offices and desks, is left to individual workers,” says Francesca. This may seem logical, but it often leads to a snowball effect, wherein one messy desk turns into many. 

Instead, Francesca recommends encouraging a different perspective within the team, including management, that focuses on how getting organized can benefit the whole team.

By framing the idea of a team organization project to leadership this way, you’ll have an easier time getting them to sign off on the project.  

To learn more about the steps to organizing a shared workspace, including the final three steps, please visit the KonMari website.