How to Set Up Your Desk: A Guide to Fixing a (Surprisingly) Overlooked Productivity Problem

by Matt Perman

Setting up your desk well is something that all of us have to deal with, and yet there is almost nothing out there on how to do it. There is some good advice here and there, but it's typically scattered. There is no single go-to book that brings together into one spot the best principles and practices for getting a clear view of how to make your desk work for you as effectively as possible.So that’s what this book aims to do.We will look at why desk setup matters, basic principles for setting up your desk well, where to put your desk (and where not to!), what goes on your desktop (less than you think), how to set up the drawers, and how to set up the rest of your office. Along with this, we will also see the connection between setting up your desk well and changing the world, which is what all productivity practices are ultimately about.

Genres: Productivity, Nonfiction, Self Help, Personal Development

74 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2014

About the author

Matt Perman is director of Marketing at Made to Flourish and the author of What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done (Zondervan, 2014). He has an M.Div. in biblical and theological studies from Southern Seminary and a Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute. Prior to Made to Flourish, Matt served as director of strategy at Desiring God. Matt is a frequent speaker on the topics of leadership and productivity from a God-centered perspective and also consults with businesses and non-profits, focusing on startups devoted to solving large global problems. He blogs at www.whatsbestnext.com.

Reviews

[Adam T. Calvert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really great (and short) read on an ideal way to set up your desk for maximal productivity. It goes along with his much fuller book What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done .

Very good. If you're wanting to read a free version, it's available on his blog.

[Danny Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really short. There is a few tips that were really helpful, especially clearing the clutter on your desk. The PLACE acronym was helpful in organizing. And I never realized how underutilized my drawers were. With that said, there was probably only enough content for a few blog posts. I don't know if it was worth the $3 that I spent for the kindle edition.

[lucas toki · Rating 2 out of 5]

waste of time. published in 2014 but honestly this would have been better for free, which it is as a series of blog posts on his website that he constantly eludes to.

feels dated in some aspect since, not everyone has drawers and space for a storage room and a whiteboard wall and all these other extras. he only talks about normal desks once but then constantly only uses examples with L shaped ones.

the conclusion was also horrendous. why the random link to christianity at the very end? it's supposed to be a conclusion to wrap up everything, not to add more information.

taught some good ideas like how and where to position things, but mostly pointless.

[Dirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical book to make your work area distraction free

I like Matt’s approach to productivity: doing good for others as a way of serving God. My desk was a mess for many many years. Now I see how much I can improve my work area. I have started to implement his ideas, and will adopt his approach until I have the work area that works best for me.

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple book on how to make your work space the most efficient place possible. Some good pointers, but I found the links to his blog the most helpful. There are some really good things there that I've already put into practice.

[cipri7329 · Rating 5 out of 5]

short and a good read

short and concise book. it helped me to better organize my desk. it is well referenced with additional material to read for further study. The theological motivation makes this book greet.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short companion ebook to Perman's longer productivity work ("What's Best Next"). A lot of it seems rather common sense but it does provide a helpful checklist of sorts for reevaluating how you have your work space set up. I made some tweaks to my desk space for the upcoming semester.

[Matthieu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very practical guide on how to organize a desk.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ideas!

He did a great job in helping to identify what is actually needed art a desk, not just tools you "need" to contain stuff

[Conor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful!

Love the idea of creating a s-ace that brings creativity and pushes away clutter. I know clutter stresses me out and Perman gives some great practical steps

[Zakiyo Fields Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for work organization

This book gives executives ideas on how to organize their desks. Lots of great gems! I am so glad I found this book!

[Deon]

free version, is available on his blog: https://www.whatsbestnext.com/2009/10...

[Cole Shiflet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very outdated. Robin Matos recommended that I read this book and there were some valuable tips, but nothing earth-shattering. It was a good reminder not to use the desk to store work and left some good ideas for organizing supplies in a home office.

[billratio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most helpful things for me from this book were the PLACE acronym, files not piles, and simplicity. I removed a lot of things from my desk area that I don't use very often. I now just have a computer, an inbox, a pad of paper and a pen. My drawer is now also much more organized.

[Yonah Carden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the ideas on categorizations, work flow, and the reference to having a higher purpose in all work. I would have liked to have more detail on desk placement and equipment for different room structures. Maybe, How to combine an office and bedroom or how to make the most out of an extra small area.

[Christopher Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Consolidation of Best Practices

The best practices and rules of thumb in this book are very helpful and thought provoking for finding good ways of increasing effectiveness in getting things done.

[Zach Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Productivity Hack

A quick read, the author lays out simple solutions to my most common problem: how to get started at my desk. Great, helpful, and insightful; I'll be recommending this read for sure.

[Matt Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful advice. One to revisit and apply.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful. Practical. A bit rarefied and idealistic. I'd like to see some commentary about personality styles.

[Paul Blankenship · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise book on setting up desks at home and work that use the same organizational systems.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems silly, but was very helpful.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

food for thought.

[Craig Houston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Practical, helpful, but a little redundant.