Having a clean and organized workspace takes time and effort—especially if we want to keep it that way. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} According to recent statistics, the average office employee spends one and a half hours a day looking for things. That's an hour and a half that is wasted every day because of disorganization. Keeping things organized can give you more time each day. Having a clean workspace can have a number of additional surprising benefits. Let's look at some of those now.

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    Untidiness can be a distraction that interferes with your thought process and prevents you from being as effective as you can be. When your workspace is clean and organized, you can spend more time focused on your tasks, without the unorganized chaos to attend to.

Attain More Success

    It's hard to be productive when you're disorganized. Organization can make it easier to concentrate, and allows you to get things done faster. Whether you're an employee or self­employed, organization is a crucial component for success. If clients see that you're well­ organized, they'll be more willing to trust you.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Make a Better Impression

    In addition to making it easier to focus and work, having a clean workspace also helps to convey a professional image. Your workspace says more about you than you may think. When someone walks past your space, they instantly form an opinion about you based on what your space looks like.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} However, to the outsider, you may look overwhelmed and incapable of taking on extra projects.

Have a Happier Work Experience

    If you're surrounded by a clean environment you'll have space to think, will be able to get more done and will feel better working in that space.

Fortunately, keeping your space clean and organized is easier than you might think.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} You'll be amazed at the difference a clean workspace can make to your mindset and how much more you'll be able to accomplish during the day.

A. Improve Focus

B. Regain Tidiness

C. But the results are more than worth it

D. Maybe you feel productive with papers scattered around

E. It shows that you know what you're doing and that you are capable

F. Clearly being disorganized can have a negative effect on your performance

G. Try to get rid of or throw away everything that you don't need to maximize your productivity

    A characteristic of American culture that has become almost a tradition is to respect the self-made man--the man who has risen to the top through his own efforts, usually beginning by working with his hands. While the leader in business or industry or the college professor occupies a higher social position and commands greater respect in the community than the common laborer or even the skilled factory worker, he may take pains to point out that his father started life in America as a farmer or laborer of some sort.

    This attitude toward manual (体力的) labor is now still seen in many aspects of American life. One is invited to dinner at a home that is not only comfortably but even luxuriously (豪华地) furnished and in which there is every evidence of the fact that the family has been able to afford foreign travel, expensive hobbies, and college education for the children; yet the hostess probably will cook the dinner herself, will serve it herself and will wash dishes afterward, furthermore the dinner will not consist merely of something quickly and easily assembled from contents of various cans and a cake or a pie bought at the near- by bakery. On the contrary, the hostess usually takes pride in careful preparation of special dishes. A professional man may talk about washing the car, digging in his flowerbeds, painting the house. His wife may even help with these things, just as he often helps her with the dishwashing. The son who is away at college may wait on table and wash dishes for his living, or during the summer he may work with a construction gang on a highway in order to pay for his education.

    We've all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.

    What's the problem? It's possible that we all have compromised conversational intelligence. It's more likely that none of us start a conversation because it's awkward and challenging, or we think it's annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it's an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.

    Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can't forget that deep relationships wouldn't even exist if it weren't for casual conversation. Small talk is the grease(润滑剂) for social communication, says Bernardo Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. "Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk," he explains. "The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them."

    In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. "It's not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband," says Dunn. "But interactions with peripheral(边缘的) members of our social network matter for our well-being also."

    Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging, a bond with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. "Small talk is the basis of good manners," he says.

    Tens of thousands of ancient pictures carved into the rocks at one of France's most important tourist sites are being gradually destroyed. Scientists and researchers fear that the 36,000 drawings on rocks in Mont Bego in the French Alps are being damaged so rapidly that they will not survive for future generations.

    The mountain, believed to have once been a site for prayer, is scattered (散布) with 4,000-year-old drawings cut into bare rock. They include pictures of cows with horns, cultivated fields and various gods and goddesses. But as the popularity of the site increases, the pictures are being ruined by thoughtless graffiti (涂鸦).

    Jean Clottes is the chairman of the International Committee on Rock Art. He says, "People think that because the pictures have been there so long they will always continue to be there. But if the damage continues at this rate there will be nothing left in 50 years."

    He describes seeing tourists stamping on the drawings, wearing away the rock and definition (清晰) of the artwork as they do so. Some visitors, he says, even cut off parts to take home as souvenirs. "When people think they can't take a good enough photograph, they rub the drawings to get a clearer picture," he said. "The drawings are polished by the weather, and if the sun is shining and the visitors can't see them properly they simply rub them to make them look fresher." Other researchers describe how people arrive carrying long sticks with sharp ends to scratch (刮) their own drawings, or even their names, in the rocks.

    But experts are divided over the best way to preserve the drawings. Henry de Lumley, director of the Museum of Natural History in Paris, believes that the only way to save the site is to turn the whole mountain into a "no-go" area, preventing the public from going there except on guided tours. Otherwise, he says, not only will the site be completely destroyed but important research work will be reduced.

    Clottes disagrees, "The measure suggested by Henry de Lumley is the most severe, and while it is the most effective, it is also certain to bring about protests from people who live there," he said. "The site was classified as a historic monument years ago by the Ministry of Culture, and we must do as much as possible to save what is there."

    David Lavergne, the regional architect, also wants to avoid closing the site. "Henry de Lumley's idea isn't ideal," he said. "Our department feels that the best solution is to let people look at the site, but because the area is very big it is difficult to prevent visitors from damaging it. I would prefer that everyone was able to look at it, but the main problem is money. We do not have the funds to employ the necessary number of guards. We may have to consider charging a fee. It doesn't seem to be possible to get the government support."

    A day in the life of 18­year­old David Lanster is full of typical teenage stuff: school, baseball practice and homework. And then he starts cooking. "Some nights I'm up until 1: 00 a. m. making pies, or even later if we're cooking beef," said the student at Ransom Everglades High School in Florida, US.

    For the past year, Lanster and Kelly Moran, his classmate, have been hosting fancy dinner parties at Lanster's parents' home. Their meals have 17 courses and are all made by themselves. Their guests used to give them gifts to thank them until the pair decided to do something nice for charity. "We got some really great Miami Heat tickets, a nice watch, and many kitchen gadgets (小器具)," Lanster said. "But we wanted to make this something positive for people other than us."

    Lanster and Moran focus on Common Threads, a charity that aims to teach kids in poor communities to cook and make healthy eating choices. The young cooks ask their guests to give however much they want as payment for their meals. It all goes to Common Threads because Lanster's parents cover their food costs. After their last 12­person event, Lanster and Moran gave $1,600 to the charity.

    Now, they're taking their show out of the kitchen and on the road. They have started to organize private dinner parties with a similar model: the host pays for the ingredients, and the guests make a donation to a charity of their choice.

    Without formal training, Lanster said he had been interested in cooking since he helped his mom in the kitchen when he was very young. He learned how to cook by reading cookbooks and watching TV programs. Outside the kitchen, the two are busy preparing their college applications. Neither of them is sure what they will do in the future, but they've promised their parents that they will leave professional cooking alone until they finish school.

    Amsterdam is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, famous for its beautiful canals, top art museum and cycling culture. It is the capital and most populous (人口稠密) city in the Netherlands and often referred to as the "Venice of the North" due to its convenient system of bridges and canals. Here are some of the key points to remember as you plan your trip to Amsterdam.

    Must-See Attractions

    Most visitors begin their Amsterdam adventure in the Old Centre, which is full of traditional architecture, shopping centers and coffee shops. Don't miss the Dam Square and the areas around Spui and Nieuwmarkt. You'll also want to check out Amsterdam's Museum Quarter in the South District, which is great for shopping at the Albert Cuyp Market and having a picnic in the Vondelpark.

    Transportation

    Travelers should be aware that Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the busiest airports in the world. You can catch a train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station, which has many connecting routes. Cycling is very popular here, and it's easy to find cheap bike rentals around town.

    Recommended Restaurants

    Amsterdam is a top destination for foodies (美食家), so it is difficult to narrow down your dining choices. Here are a couple of our favorites.

Money Saving Tips

    • Unless you really want to see the tulips (郁金香) blooming, avoid booking between mid-March and mid-May. This is when hotel and flight prices rise sharply.

    • Look for accommodations in Amsterdam's South District, where rates are generally cheaper than in the city center.

    • Buy train tickets at the machine instead of the counter to save a bit of money.

    • Check out our homepage to view price comparisons for flights, hotels, and rental cars before you book.