8 Ways to Declutter Your Mind
Feb 09, 2022Clutter doesn't just happen in your home or office. It is not just in the physical form it can occur mentally too. And a cluttered mind will get in your way of achievement and living a truly fulfilling life. Do you suffer from a cluttered mind? How do you know if it is time to clean up some mental space?
A cluttered mind
- has trouble focusing
- will get stuck or ruminate on things.
- will hold onto past experiences and negative feelings including hurt, anger, sadness and regret
- constantly worries about things that are outside of its control
- keeps a lot of mental lists like to-dos and goals and incomplete plans
- gets distracted easily and has a hard time staying present
- finds it difficult to make decisions
A cluttered mind can easily lose interest in goals and objectives and can ultimately make it hard to stay connected to people, your surroundings and ultimately yourself. It can have an adverse affect on truly living a life by design. So here are 8 ways to begin the process of decluttering your mind:
- Sleep is a powerful stress reducer and has numerous health benefits. We need to recharge as well as calm our minds and our bodies during sleep. Sleep is restorative and following good sleep habits and patterns will improve concentration, regulate mood and emotions as well as sharpen judgement and decision making. According to research sleep deprivation (which its negative impact can compound over time even just by losing an hour here and there) disrupts our brain cells ability to communicate with each other. This can lead to brain fog,lapse in memory and anxiety.
- Meditation can bring calmness, awareness and clarity. When you meditate you will reduce your confusion and get clear on what matters most. Meditation is useful in clearing the mind because it eliminates distractions. It brings the focus inward and increases the mind-body connection. Incorporating even just a few minutes of meditation a day can create a profound shift in our mental capacity.
- Get it out on paper rather than keeping all of those thoughts in your head. When you keep so many thoughts, ideas, goals and dreams in your head you are bound to forget something, lose sight of priorities and just get overwhelmed! Find a way to keep your thoughts and ideas safe from your feelings and emotions by getting them out of your head space and on to something external. This will also give you a much better perspective and help you develop strategic options.
- Prioritizing your to-do's is the next step after you mind dump all those thoughts out on paper. As you look at all the "stuff" that was taking up mental real estate in your head, categorize them and list them in order of importance. Knowing that you have your priorities clearly defined and on paper will give you peace of mind. The new found clarity will help you get organized as you assess each item. Life is a series of choices and decisions and mind clutter can be a form of avoidance.
- Journaling is therapeutic and very helpful when what is swirling around in your head requires a more exploratory form of writing. Writing in a journal will allow you to purge your feelings, organize your thoughts and allow you to come up with a whole new outlook.
- Spend time in nature to improve your mental health and decrease anxiety and depression. Some studies have shown that spending time in nature can be an antidote for stress. It can lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels, enhance immune system function, increase self-esteem, reduce anxiety, improve mood and cognitive functions.
- Limit sensory overload to your brain. We are being hit with sensory information all day, every day from social media, tv, radio, podcasts, zoom meetings and the list goes on. All of this will affect your mental well being and can actually trigger feelings of depression and anxiety. Limit your usage whenever possible and remove all electronics from your bedtime routine.
- Exercise is not only good for your body it is essential for overall well-being including mental clarity and sharpness. Regular exercise can help reduce anxiety and improve your ability to concentrate and feel mentally sharp. Daily exercise can be simple too just moving your body for 10 to 30 minutes a day can have a profound effect on both mental and physical health.
Don't miss a beat!
Get notified when new blogs are posted by signing up below!
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
