When you start decluttering your home, you just may recognize how so much of the clutter in your house reflects the clutter in your mind. I already know that when my home gets cluttered, I am more distracted, cranky, and prone to brain fog.
If you’re hanging onto to clothes that don’t fit, or the ugly vase your mother gave you for Christmas or the exercise bike you’re using as a clothes rack, you don’t just have a problem with too much stuff. You have a problem letting go.
Chances are you’re also hanging onto a whole bunch of bad feelings, ill-founded assumptions, old grievances and future worries, too.
If it feels good to declutter your house, it feels even better to declutter your mind. These 5 expert tips will help you make some space in your mind.
1. Meditate
You don’t have to do the full sitting on a cushion in a darkened room thing to benefit from meditation techniques. If you’re feeling overwound, some simple breathing techniques can help you calm down and focus. For a few minutes, focus only on your breathing and nothing else.
Check out some meditation apps online. I’ve found some great ones that are so soothing. They really work! Just find one that works for you.
2. Write it Down
You may have heard (or been told!) that you’d lose your head if it wasn’t screwed on tight. Certainly not the best thing to say to anyone, but the point is that it is so easy to forget important thoughts that run through your head. I know I do!
Writing things down not only helps you remember them, but it can also help you sort out worries or concerns.
Check out some free to-do apps. I’ve found several that I like and use them regularly to remember to do or buy something.
Journaling is a great way to sort out thoughts and feelings. More and more people are realizing the value of journaling goes way beyond just writing things down. It can me a kind of personal mental health journey. It can also focus your energy and free up some of that mental space!
3. Live in the Present
I’m sure you’ve heard many famous quotes about living in the present, such as:
“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
“Remember then: there is only one time that is important – Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power.” ~ Leo Tolstoy
“Living in the moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. It means living your life consciously, aware that each moment you breathe is a gift.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
WhiIe they are inspiring, I know that doing these beautiful messages is much harder than thinking about how true they are.
But remind yourself that brooding over the past and worrying about the future take up a lot of space in your mind and precisely achieve nothing. Let go of regret over past mistakes or resentment of past slights and move on. Keep your focus on what you can influence right here, right now.
4. Do One Thing at a Time
Multitasking is not only overrated and inefficient it also leads to greater anxiety and rarely produces the best results
Focus on doing things methodically and thoroughly. As you finish one task, move onto the next. You will be able to do things faster and better.
And even better – finish one thing at a time. This is a huge problem for me. I start so many things and often forget to come back to finishing them. I’m especially bad at having too many tabs open on my laptop! I open something and plan to come back to it, but at the end of the day, my open tabs are ruining my productivity!
5. Control Incoming Data
We talk about being available 24/7 and the 24-hour news cycle, but there is only one person who can control that. You. You can choose to switch off your computer, smartphone, and tv and control the amount of data your brain is trying to process.
Decluttering your mind will pay off in all sorts of ways you hadn’t imagined. You will be more productive, less stressed and more motivated.
The importance of taking care of your mental health is an issue that’s been newsworthy during these difficult pandemic times. From athletes to celebrities to people like you and me, mental health has been promoted as something we should prioritize for our overall health.
So, where are you going to start? Do any of these ideas resonate with you? Leave your comments and thoughts below.
And – if you need a reset of your mind, check out my new course, “Designing Your New Normal Mindset”. It’s a great way to reboot your mind. Designing your mindset is the prerequisite for designing your life. Check it out HERE. Then let me know how you benefitted.
Here’s to the peace and joy of taking care of your #1 priority!
I’m educator and blogger Vicki Peel, Ed.D. I support family members trying to live good-enough, intentional, and simpler lives by sharing life hacks and simple systems in the areas of Home Style, Lifestyle, and Food. Start by claiming your FREE report, Self-Care Hacks at https://HERLifeHacks.com
My shop in https://SimpleSystemsForLife.com continues to grow with products that support a simpler lifestyle and save you time, energy, and/or money. You can download the FREE “My One Thing Habit Tracker” on this site to help you develop and sustain tiny habits that will change your life for the better. Click HERE.