When it comes to decluttering your home, there’s a simple solution: put everything on eBay (this is a bit oversimplified, but it’s possible, isn’t it?). Yet, when it comes to decluttering your mind, it’s not really possible to unload your thoughts onto eager internet buyers…or is it?
Here are a few ways to declutter your mind.
#1: Declutter your space. We are what we eat…and what we see. While people may argue about whether violent movies can raise a generation of messed-up, angry kids, let’s just err on the side of caution and declutter the surrounding space. With fewer things in our field of vision, we have less garbage to stew over and worry about…freeing up the space in our mind.
There is a wonderful quote that says: Garbage in, Garbage out.
Which means, you really need to think about all the trash there is on the internet and what kids are watching and the games they are playing. Just something to think about.
#2: Declutter your schedule. Another thing that can drive us crazy is the constant rush from one activity to another. Take a look at your schedule and start eliminating things that aren’t necessary. All they’re doing is adding stress to your day and giving you more food to throw into that crazy mental stew of stress you already have. Do your children really need to play 3 different sports?
#3: Unplug from the party. Would you be able to sleep and rest easily if you were attending a party of several thousand people—say, like Times Square on New Year’s Eve? That’s pretty much what’s going on with your smartphone, tapped in as you (probably) are to several social media networks. The pings, dings, and rings from various contacts, along with the thrill of finding a new message, are all adding small but unhealthy doses of stress to your day.
#4: Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is all about engaging with the present in a fully, alive way. There are lots of ways to practice the skill of mindfulness, from meditation to just staring at an object (like a candle) and contemplating its existence. Mindfulness will help you learn how to push relevant concerns out of your conscious thought process, leading to increased concentration and a decluttered mind. Listening to calming music can help as well.
#5: Let go. Remember that scene from Titanic where Kate says to Jack, I’ll never let you go? Well, sometimes it’s best to let old memories die. From broken relationships to diabolical bosses, we tend to have a lot of backstory spinning in the back of our mind. Just let it all go, and like a computer that suddenly operates faster, you’ll find your mind in a much more free and easy state.
What do you think, will any of these tips help you? I take care in what I watch as well as what I listen to. Some of today’s music I would never let my kids listen too. 🙁
