ADHD Desktop Archaeology

Looking around at my little studio where I do my video editing, music, writing, OK...pretty much everything I do on a desktop computer, I can see that it's way past time to do a little organization and cleaning.

Let's see, a quick look around reveals several software boxes, my old computer with the cover off and hard drive laying on top of it. On top of the hard drive there are some printed materials. My monitor speakers have become stands for various objects such as webcams, video gear, old DVDs, books and the packaging from some RAM I bought a year ago (just in case I need to return it).

I won't bore you with the rest the items on my desk, let's just say I could fill a page with the inventory of mostly useless items mixed with items required to do my job. It's always overwhelming to think of starting to organize my desk. Some people like a messy desk because they know where everything is. I actually prefer a neat desk and work area, although after I do organize everything, I often can't remember where I put things that I need.

Then there's the actual process of organization. I usually start by grabbing any paperwork that's laying on the desk. Usually, within a minute, I begin reading pages from little notes to myself from months ago to those three pages of a novel I started and never finished. By the time I get to the half-empty software boxes and try to match them with manuals and software DVDs, I'm pretty much ready to have a coffee break.

So from now on I'm referring to organizing my desk as "desktop archaeology". Perhaps I can convince a local community college to let me teach a course on it. After all, not many people can spend so long cleaning their desk while gleaning so much arcane knowledge of the history of said desk's clutter.

Although my work area gives the impression that I am one of those who works best in a chaotic work area, I secretly yearn for the desk cleaning elves to descend and work away while I happily edit on my computer. Ah, must create another note: Remember to design a desk cleaning robot. Like Roomba... Deskba? Hmmm.