It has been one month since the school opened in 2024. For me, it has felt like a case of "All quiet on the Western Front" with the cruise control button on. I feel that there has been a general sense of smoothness, even if there are matters lying underneath that require attention.
But one thing I'd like to reflect on is tidiness within our work area. Some say a messy desk or workspace inspires creativity, but clutter and mess can make a workspace more stressful for a person and can indicate disorder.
My colleague and I spent some time working on this. It had started last year as well, though there was more emphasis on the main library space itself, and we even began to record what we have within our workspace to inform our budgeting for office supplies.
I will admit, though, that the clean up of the space so far has yielded a sense of more order in the place and allowing us to account for what we have or don't have. Yes, a few treasures were found there but I will keep it secret. I even feel a sense of thinking a bit more clearly, too.
It can be tough for some to keep a workspace tidy, but if you struggle and want to fix it, do it in small parts. It could be as simple as allocating a short period of time each day to do so, e.g. ten minutes, or focus on one section each week.
Also, I spent the summer break in the United States and had the opportunity to visit the Library of Congress in Washington DC, along with the JFK Presidential Library and Museum (Boston) and The Carter Centre (Atlanta). My next three entries will focus on my visits to those libraries and museums.
