My desk and workbench also show how busy I am.
What I noticed about my desk, was that it was like the overcast clouds that had rolled in: much of it seemed to be covered, and in disarray. I tend to turn to the desk to my left to write things down, open books, read magazines, etc. but that part of my desk is hopeless at the moment. It is covered in to-do lists scribble on legal paper, with piles of books, and magazines and Post-Its and other stuff.
Whenever my desk is like this, I am usually overwhelmed. I start making lists. I begin to wonder if the critical things that I am working on are more important than clearing up some surface area. That’s when it occurred to me that I have the perfect measurement to gauge my own level of busy-ness: desk-coverage.
I recorded 4 videos yesterday and much of the b-roll for them. I shipped code and read a book and my office was a disaster at the end of the day. It’s still pretty gnarly actually and just like Jamie, the cleanliness of my work surfaces is a good indicator of how busy I am at any given moment.
It’s also a good indication of how stressed/busy I feel with work.
The house is a good indicator for the family in general.
Does the same idea map for you?