If only my brain was as organized as my desk these days.
I’m balancing a lot of projects, both in writing and my personal life. With family visiting over the holidays and a work trip coming up, it seems like I’m moving in a million directions at once.
Recently, I tested out the Fluidstance Ebb&Flow System and it is one of the best products I’ve tested that helps keep my desk clutter free.
Part of the issue with staying organized at our desks is just having a place to put our stuff. Headphones, pens, phones — they all take up space. Fortunately, the Ebb&Flow helps keep things in check, which in turns help[s me stay more productive.
I wrote a book about staying productive, and one of my main points was that we are constantly distracted, so having a routine and a regimen to help us is more needed than ever. One of the routines was based on an Inc.com article from a few years ago about a morning routine. In that routine, I suggest making a purposeful and intentional effort to keep things organized at our desks since that can impact how we do our work during the day.
The Ebb&Flow has several components to help. The 36-inch base (called the core system) is essentially a riser for your computer monitor, along with a tray for pens, a headphone holder, plus a holder for your phone or a small tablet. Fluidstance sent me this basic kit to test, but there are several add-ons as well, including a desk whiteboard, a desk lamp, and many other items. It’s nice to know, if you decide to expand the Ebb&Flow system, everything will still match.
The system is available in three colors — white, blue, and yellow. I prefer the white color since it doesn’t stick out in my office but the other colors might suit your taste. The system allows you to put all of the clutter around your desk in a specific place. I combined the Ebb&Flow with my own white keyboard and mouse, plus a Dell desktop I’m reviewing, and it all had a nice flow.
Was I actually more productive? I would say yes. For starters, whenever I wanted to listen to music, I didn;t need to hunt around for my headphones. They were always right there. I’d say that alone saved me about 10-15 minutes per day. I also loved keeping my phone in the holder all day, because it served as a secondary screen. I’ll admit I would sometimes forget to put my phone there, and it would cause some delays hunting around for it in the kitchen or bedroom.
What that means is that the Ebb&Flow only works if you use it. I found that the little tray for pens was also helpful because I need to occasionally sign contracts and other paperwork, printing out the docs and signing them, then scanning them with my phone to sed them back. The whole process worked much faster when I had what I needed close at hand.\
The basic core system costs $395, which might seem like a lot. I felt like it was worth the price because I was more productive and clear-headed throughout the day. It was easier to find my phone, pens, and other items. My day seemed more productive, and that’s the main win.
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