We can often tell a lot about a person by their workspace. Since we spend so much time at our desks, they become an extension of us in many ways and reflect various aspects of our personalities. The next time you’re at your desk, take a look around and consider what others may deduce about you based on what’s there. Here are some examples of what your workspace may be saying about your personality.
1. The Tornado Zone
At any given point in time, your workspace looks as though a tornado full of cows and snacks tore through the room and left chaos in its wake. You can barely see your desk because it’s covered with “stuff”, but you know exactly where everything is without looking: you can simply reach out and find whatever you need. It’s what you might call “organized chaos.”
According to the American Psychological Association, a messy desk “encourages a creative mind”, and great minds such as Albert Einstein, Alan Turing, and Simone de Beauvoir all did their best work on messy workspaces. I’m a self-professed chaos goblin, and my workspace (which my partner refers to as my “dragon’s lair”) is currently piled high with notebooks, glitter pens, cups, bottles, and three types of lip balm, all of which has helped me thrive as a writer and art director/designer for the last three decades.
2. The Meticulous Minimalist
There’s nothing on your desk except for your computer — be it a laptop or desktop — and its surface is wiped clean on a regular basis. Notepads, pens, and any other accoutrements are kept in your desk drawers and only taken out when needed, and if you have a coffee or other beverage at your desk, you’ll either discard your cup or wash it and put it away as soon as you’ve finished with it.
People with this type of minimalist mindset can have a few different personality types. Some are fiercely creative and are easily distracted by clutter around them, while others thrive on rationality and order: if something isn’t being used, there’s no point in having it around. Either way, minimalists are usually logical, dependable, and easy to get along with. As long as you don’t leave any crap on their desks.
3. The Cluttered And Cozy Corner
There’s a fuzzy footrest or slippers beneath your desk and a blanket or snuggie on your chair for you to cuddle into. Your mug stays warm on a kawaii drink warmer, and there are stuffed toys, fairy lights, and some of your favorite art pieces on or around your space. According to the Association for Psychological Science, personalizing a workspace with comfortable, cozy items can help to minimize stress and maintain emotional energy in what can often be chaotic surroundings.
People who adorn their workspaces with a wide variety of different items are often bubbly and extroverted. They generally love to chat with colleagues and have warm, positive personalities. That said, this isn’t always the case: some cozy cavers may be introverted or neurodivergent, such as autistic or autistic plus ADHD (AuDHD). These individuals may try to make their work area as comfortable as possible to quell anxiety. They may have noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs to tone down background noise and a variety of safe foods to keep them fuelled and content.
4. The Shrine Of Sentimentality
Those who have several photos of their family members and pets on or around their workspace have close bonds with their loved ones and would generally rather be at home than at work. As such, they keep these images close to remind themselves of why they’re doing this job, and often place things like vases of flowers or little trinkets beside them because they miss them so much.
People who fall into this category are usually first out the door when their shifts end so they can race back home and spend as much time with their loved ones as possible. Then, when it’s time to go back to work, they may take items from home with them in order to feel closer to their family when they’re apart.
5. The Organized Overachiever
You don’t just have your Google calendar planned out for the next decade — you also have a day timer and app alerts set on all your devices. There are more sticky notes around your workspace than there are at your local Staples store, and you have a startling collection of pens and highlighters.
Those whose workspaces fall into this category are often high-energy people who give 100% each and every day. They don’t like to disappoint anyone and they use a wide variety of approaches to stay on task. That said, these techniques can also be used by neurodivergent folks, such as those with ADHD. According to Additude magazine, ADHD-ers experience a warped perception of time, and therefore, these compensatory strategies can be extremely beneficial in order to keep track of their assignments.
6. The Decorator
Your workspace looks like a curated Pinterest board in your aesthetic of choice. Since you spend so much time at your workstation, you make it an extension of yourself by any and every means necessary. You may switch out your desk mat to suit the season, have plants and statuettes nearby, and maybe a faux fur throw over the back of your chair.
Those who personalize their spaces often have assertive energy and like their surroundings to reflect who they are and how they feel. Alternatively, they may be trying to send a message — such as keeping potted cacti and skulls on their desks so their coworkers will be less likely to stop by for a gossip session.
7. The Temple of Health and Wisdom
Your tear-off desk calendar has inspirational quotes or spiritual texts for you to ponder every day, and you have framed proverbs on your cubicle or office walls. Your water bottle is always within easy reach, and you have a variety of vitamins and supplements that you take over the course of each day — neatly arranged in dated/timed capsule containers. You may even have a framed photo or statue of your spiritual guru somewhere nearby to keep you focused and motivated.
People who fall into this category can either be introverted or extroverted but tend to be on the serious side. Their bodies and minds are temples to be cared for, and they may offer unsolicited advice about diet, exercise, or spiritual practices that they think others would benefit from adhering to.
8. The Nature Guru
There’s a mist fountain perched at the corner of your desk that offers soothing, burbling water sounds and provides humidity to the jungle of plants that surrounds you. Your desk mat is made from recycled cork (as is the yoga mat you keep at hand for impromptu stretches), and the drawers nearby are full of organic, vegan snacks, bottles of kombucha, and bamboo pens.
A workspace like this tells the world how passionate you are about the environment and how much the natural world means to you. You’re fiercely ethical with strong morals and will insist on fair-trade coffee in the office kitchenette, and you give out recycled cotton totes and reusable utensil kits to your colleagues as holiday gifts. You likely work at a non-profit organization that focuses on ecological or animal welfare, and you spend your weekends camping, firewalking, or cleaning up coastlines.
9. The “Does Anyone Even Work Here?” Space
Anyone who visited your workspace would assume it was a spare desk that was set aside for a future employee. You bring your own laptop to work and then take it home with you when you leave, and there’s nothing in your desk drawers except for a dry pen and a paper clip left by someone else. There are no photos, no clue about who you are outside of work.
A workspace like this makes it abundantly clear to everyone that you’re only there because you have to be. You have zero investment in this job, and you’re only going to put in the exact amount of energy required to keep you employed. When you’ve finished your tasks for the day, you’re likely sending resumes out to recruiters in order to find something better. Most of your coworkers don’t even know your name or what you do.
Final Thoughts…
As with all things, these observations are generalizations that may not apply to everyone. Those who love order and minimalism at work may simply guard their privacy fiercely and don’t want others to gain much insight about who they are. Similarly, those who make their workspace all cute and cozy may simply be Ghibli-obsessed and extend their aesthetic preferences to every aspect of their lives.
Ultimately, the goal is to create a space that bridges authenticity with effectiveness and allows you to excel in your chosen field while thriving as an individual.
