Declutter Your Mind in 5 Steps

The process of decluttering your home is simple enough. Put everything you want to purge and put it up for sale on eBay. That may be a little over simplified but it’s doable. Yet, decluttering your mind isn’t as simple. It’s not actually possible to unload your thoughts.

A cluttered mind is restless and unfocused. Mental clutter includes worry about the future, pondering your past mistakes, keeping a mental list of everything you have to do, or a list of complaints.

Below are five ways to declutter your mind to help decrease feelings of overwhelm, gain clarity, and get more done.

#1: Declutter your schedule. A constant rush from one activity to another can cause panic and overwhelm. It can drive you crazy. Time to look at your schedule and begin eliminating things that are not necessary. All they’re doing is adding more stress to your day.

#2: Declutter your physical space. If your home is cluttered or your workspace is cluttered, this can lead to mental clutter. It sends signals to your brain that there is at least one more thing to do even after you’ve completed your to do list. With less things in our field of vision, we have less worry about…freeing up the space in our mind.

#3: Unplug. I read on my cell phone before I fall asleep each night, and it serves as my alarm the next morning. I confess. If I get up during the night, I am going to check my email or read a text message. I’ve been known to respond to both at 3 a.m. It’s time to unplug from cell phones, tablets, and computers (and anything else that emits a blue light). We are so connected. Too connected maybe. Those pings, dings, and rings from your contacts, along with the thrill of finding a new message add up to small but unhealthy doses of stress that can negatively impact your day.

#4: Let go. Sometimes it’s best to let old memories die a quiet death. From broken relationships to unbearable bosses, we tend to have a lot of stuff spinning in the back of our minds at any given moment. When negative thoughts crop up, acknowledge them (try writing what you’re feeling in a journal) and let them go. Soon, you’ll find your mind in a much more free and easy state.

#5: Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is about the ability to be fully present and aware of where you are and what you’re doing – what is going on around you. Meditation, meditative walking, active listening are all practices you can start that will lead you to being mindful. Mindfulness can clear your conscious thought process, leading to increased concentration and a decluttered mind.

There are many strategies and techniques available to remove all the stuff you have floating around in your brain. Take some time to declutter your schedule and personal space, unplug, let things go, and build in mindfulness are great ways to get the clutter out of your mind.

How are you going to rid your mind of all the things taking up space?

Share your thoughts and ideas. I’d love to hear them.