As a transformational Coach, I have had the privilege of helping countless individuals transform their lives for the better. One of the most powerful and transformative practices I often recommend is decluttering. This process extends beyond just tidying up your surroundings; it involves decluttering your mind, home, relationships, technology and even your workspace.
In this post, I will discuss the profound impact decluttering can have on your mindset, how it reduces overwhelm, and provide practical suggestions for getting started.
Let’s start with the mind, the epicentre of our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Our mental space can become cluttered with anxiety, stress, and negative thinking. Here are some suggestions on how you can begin to declutter your mind:
- Meditation & Mindfulness: Daily meditation and mindfulness exercises can help you clear your mind of racing thoughts and reduce stress. It is like hitting the reset button for your brain.
- Journalling: Writing down your thoughts and emotions can provide clarity and help you process your feelings. It’s a way of decluttering your mental space by externalising your thoughts.
- Prioritising and Goal Setting: Organise your thoughts by setting clear goals and priorities. This will help you to focus on what truly matters and eliminates mental clutter.
Decluttering Your Physical Space
A cluttered physical environment can contribute to mental overwhelm. Here is how decluttering your home will help:
- Start small: Tackle one room at a time or even one drawer or closet. The sense of accomplishment from completing even just one area can be really rewarding and motivating.
- Sell it, Donate it, Recycle it or Discard it: If you haven’t used an item in the past year, it is time to let it go. You can sell on marketplace or eBay which can earn you a bit of extra cash to put towards a well-earnt coffee, donate it to a local charity, recycle it (especially items like old batteries, technology or chords you have had lying around) or discard it. It is time to let go of those things that no longer serve you.
- Organise: It is time to invest in some storage solutions and organising tools to create a clean and organised living space. When your physical surroundings are in order, your mind feels calmer. Pinterest is a great place to gain some ideas on storage solutions.
Decluttering Negative People and Surrounding Yourself with Positivity
Negative people can drain your energy and clutter your life with pessimism. Sometimes you need to make a decision to remove these people from your life to help with your own mental health:
- Evaluate Friendships: Assess your relationships and distance yourself from people who constantly bring you down or hinder your personal growth. If you are spending time with someone and find that whenever you are with them your energy is being drained, these people are known as Emotional Vampires and it is time to evaluate whether this relationship is healthy for your own mental health.
- Surround Yourself with Positivity: Seek out people who uplift and inspire you. Positive relationships can have a profound impact on your mindset.
Decluttering Technology
In today’s digital age, decluttering your technology usage is crucial for maintaining a health mindset.
- Digital Detox: Periodically disconnect from technology. Unplug from social media, emails, and screens to give your mind a break.
- Organise Your Digital Life: Declutter your digital files, emails and apps. Delete what you no longer need and organise the rest for easy access.
- Unfollow / Block negativity on Social Media: Go through your social media and anything that you are currently following that makes you feel sad, angry, bad about yourself and who you are, or negative people block or unfollow. Ensure you are following good news stories and people that make you feel excited and inspired.
Photo by Radek Grzybowski on Unsplash
Decluttering Your Workspace
Your workspace, whether you work from home or work in an office, is a crucial area to declutter for enhanced productivity and peace of mind:
- Clear Your Desk: Start by removing unnecessary items from your desk. Only keep essential items like your computer, a notepad, and a few pens.
- Organise Cables & Cords: Tangled cables can be visually cluttering and mentally distracting. Use cable organisers or clips to keep them tidy.
- Eliminate Distractions: Remove items from your workspace that don’t contribute to your productivity. This includes old papers, decorations, or anything that distracts you from your work.
How Will This Help Your Mindset?
As you declutter various aspects of your life, you’ll notice a significant transformation in your mindset:
- Reduced Stress: With fewer distractions and less chaos in your surroundings, you’ll experience reduced stress and anxiety.
- Enhanced Focus: A decluttered environment allows you to focus better on your goals and priorities.
- Increased Positivity: Surrounding yourself with positive people and decluttering negative relationships fosters a more optimistic outlook on life.
- Improved Decision-Making: Clarity of mind enables better decision-making, as you are not clouded by unnecessary mental and physical clutter.
Decluttering is a powerful tool for cleansing your mindset and reducing overwhelm in your life. By decluttering your mind, physical space, home, relationships, technology, and workspace, you can create an environment that promotes mental clarity, positivity, and a greater sense of control. Remember that decluttering is an ongoing process, so make it a part of your lifestyle to maintain a clutter-free life and a healthy mindset.
Author:
Jay Hamilton
Jay has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science majoring in Behavioural Science and Sociology. She is an internationally accredited Holistic Life Coach and Mind-Body Practitioner with a focus on Mindset and Visualisation. She works closely with her clients to discover what it is they value, what their purpose and goals are and work through any limiting beliefs that may be holding them back from living a fulfilling life. Find her on Facebook or her website.
