Whilst a cluttered desk which is littered with all sorts of rubbish and inconsequential items will never be conducive to hard work, a well organized, minimalist working space is likely to spur you on to greater heights with regard to your work.
But this is not the same as getting rid of everything and having a blank slate - it simply means you need to pick the few items that you do have on your desk with care, optimizing your working conditions and motivating yourself to achieve your best.
Here are 6 daily essentials which ought to take up residence on your desk; most require almost no space, and will promote your health beyond simply increasing your level of productivity.
Post-it notes
The good old post-it note is unlikely to ever let you down, and comes in a range of bright, cheery colours. Whilst a digital diary may be all the rage (and can be carried everywhere with you via your phone), there's nothing like a bright yellow note saying 'CALL SARAH!!!' to get your attention.
In fact, visual reminders, especially if you're a forgetful person, can be the best option to help get things done.
A desk tidy
If you can't keep track of your biros, keep losing your pencils and are constantly borrowing your next-door neighbour's stapler, what you need is a desk tidy full of exciting bits of stationary. These range from the pragmatic and ordinary to the wacky, weird and wonderful. Everyone loves a good bit of stationary, so why not indulge in keeping it orderly and pretty.
A calendar
If you work in an office, you most likely know all too well what day of the week it is, be this the dreaded Monday or the much-anticipated Friday. Nevertheless, a desktop calendar is always a good shout, and will create a clear visual picture of your commitments in the days and weeks to come. You can also get fun desktop calendars with new illustrations or facts for each day.
Water
Staying hydrated really can have a huge impact on your brain function and productivity levels. Rather than repeated trips to the kitchen to fuel your caffeine addiction, keep a bottle of water on your desk. This will keep you feeling fresh and stop you from reverting to sugar-filled fizzy drinks.
A healthy snack
In the same way that water is preferable to coffee or fizzy drinks, a healthy snack such as carrot sticks and hummus is infinitely better than the office biscuit tin. Overeating in a sedentary job can be a huge issue across various professions. And food tends to be used to celebrate every birthday, anniversary and little last achievement in office occupations.
Avoid the fat-filled sugary snacks by taking your own tasty alternative to work. But be wary of 'fat free' or 'sugar free' diet foods, as these are likely to contain unhealthy substitutes.
Photos or personal items
Have a couple of photos of your family and friends on your desk. Not only will it improve your levels of happiness and optimism, it's also likely to motivate you to work harder, especially if you're working to support your family.
A couple of personal items will make your work environment feel homelier and remind you of the world beyond the office when the pressure's piled on and things all feel a bit too much.
Alexandra Jane writes graduate careers advice for Inspiring Interns. Check out their website to see which internships and graduate marketing jobs are currently available.