When people think about chaos their minds usually go directly to organization of material possessions – and that’s true to a point but it’s much bigger than that. If you want to say bye-bye to chaos because you have a thriving career, an active family and a personal life, you’ll have to to do more than organize your way to peace. That said, I’ll start with the physical and move into the mental clutter that comes with success and living a life of intention.
Clutter messes up more than your living room. When your home and work spaces are in disorder you’re likely to feel more anxious and depressed – even when there are positive things happening, the reality can put a dark cloud over you.
Studies have found that individuals who say they have too much “stuff” describe themselves as drained and overwhelmed. They also have higher level of cortisol and other stress hormones, and they have more difficulty completing tasks because of their disorganized environment. This can really impact you in your career and other areas of life.
Find out how clutter is affecting you, and pick up some tips for bringing physical and mental clutter under control. I’ll share a few of the tips we share with our clients below:
Controlling Physical Clutter
Imagine how great you’d feel when everything is taken care of, clean and orderly. Whether you have a staff or are the only persona managing your own life, a few minutes of intentional order each day make a big difference for your peace of mind when you are home.
- Buy less. Fight clutter at its source by resisting the urge to add to your possessions. Prepare a shopping list in advance so you stick to purchasing just what you need. Find other ways to entertain yourself besides browsing online stores.
- Toss stuff out. Go through the things you already have. Sort out what you can throw in the dumpster or donate. Try setting parameters like discarding anything you haven’t used in the past year that has no sentimental value. There are tons of people in need, donating is a great way to thin out.
- Store things away. Once you’ve figured out what to keep, think about how to make it less visible. Filing cabinets and trunks can keep essential documents and out-of-season clothing on hand but out of view. This is something you or your assistant can do in a weekend.
- Set up a maintenance schedule. Remember that dealing with clutter-chaos is an ongoing project. Schedule an appointment with yourself or your assistant every 6 months to review how things are working.
Controlling Mental Clutter
Conquer those disturbing thoughts and digital overload by adopting some constructive new habits:
- Disconnect for a while. Put aside an hour or two each day to turn off your phone and stop checking social media. (Gasp!) For higher quality sleep, stay away from the TV and computers for at least an hour before bedtime. I know it’s hard, but successful people need as much sleep as you can get!
- Set specific goals. Planning your activities and creating priorities shows you where to channel your energies. You can enjoy making progress without worrying about what else you’re supposed to be doing.
- Filter information. Do you feel bombarded by advertisements, social notifications and news stories? Try becoming more selective about what media you consume. Leave the TV off unless there’s a program you plan to watch. Limit the number of web sites you visit on a regular basis and remove social notifications except for one primary platform. The others you can check when time permits.
It’s a good time to transform your outer and inner experiences. A peaceful environment decreases anxiety and enables you to devote your energy to the things you love; and shine at!
Thanks for taking time to read….
Nasiha