Do you have piles of paper on and around your desk?  What do your co-workers think?  More importantly, what does your boss think?  Studies have shown that if you have two employees up for promotion who are of comparable ability, the more organized employee is much more likely to get promoted.

Do you customers ever see your desk?  First impressions are very powerful.  I know personally, I immediately lose confidence in a vendor if the first thing that I see is chaos and piles.  Check out this recent article in the Detroit Free Press on this topic.

I just read an interesting article from CNN on creating tiny home offices out of closets.  Here is the question they pose: Is it possible to have a functional home office if you are strapped for space?  My answer - absolutely.  Having an abundance of space does not necessarily make you more organized.  If you are short on space and you are looking to create a home office, converting a closet can be a great solution.  Here are some important things to consider:

• Make sure to fully utilize your vertical space by adding shelving
• Keep only what you need
• Consider purchasing a scanner to minimize the number of paper files you have to store
• Make sure everything has a "home" (a designated spot where it is stored)

I have one of my favorite quotes posted above my desk:  "To change a habit, begin immediately and allow no single exception to occur."  - Benjamin Franklin.  Whenever we work with our clients, whether it is with email, paper, time or space, we are helping them to change habits.  If you want to become more organized, (or lose weight, stop smoking, get in better shape, etc.), you need to identify the first habit you want to change, start today, and stay consistent.  Benjamin Franklin had a theory called the "Twenty-One Day Theory" that said if you do something every day for twenty-one days in a row, it will become a habit.  Change your life one habit at a time.