There's probably a word in the school of psychology to describe someone who latches onto a study that purports to prove that a certain trait that was previously thought undesirable is actually beneficial. But we're not here to name names. We're here to help. And this is a big one.
Researchers conducted an experiment in which college students were asked to come up with creative uses for ping pong balls. See Can a Messy Desk Make You More Creative?. The students in one group were put in a neat room to complete his/her task. The students in the other group were put in a messy room. Then judges ranked their results as not-at-all-creative to very-creative. Turns out the kids in the messy rooms came up with the most creative uses.
With proof like that who would dare clean off their desk? The science is settled.
Meanwhile, for those uncreative obsessives who just have to have everything spic and span, here's something for you: 15 Secrets to Cleaning Your Home in Half the Time.
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