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As kids some of us were told over and over again to “clean up your room”!   In fact the material mess became the battlefield for many a family fight.  Some of us held to our disorganized ways through college (how did we survive) and into the workplace.  There, the manager-as-mom chanted the old adage about a messy desk being a sign of a messy mind .  Well, score one for our side because  

new research suggests a disorganized environment may actually foster a clearer head.  Booyah!  Read on…

“In a study appearing in the June 2012 print issue of the Journal of Consumer Research, researchers conducted six experiments with more than 300 college students and found that those who worked at disorganized desks used simpler methods to sort items and decide what they’d purchase as consumers.”

Huh? Well the translation means their categorization and organization skill played out in decisions and choices and not in desktop arrangement. Huh?

 “Even political affiliation came into play — messiness didn’t seem to affect liberals as much as conservatives, with self-described liberals saying that they were generally less concerned about being disorganized.”  Ok, that’s where I part company, but I am less organized than my conservative co-workers.  But I do think the conclusion is a reflection of how I roll!

“In conclusion, the authors note that contrary to popular belief, experiencing messiness could actually result in better work efficiency and more creative problem-solving.”

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