Declutter Your Mind
Not all clutter is physical. But all types of clutter prevent us from focusing, making decisions and being our best selves.
Mental clutter can overwhelm and paralyze us. Our brains get bogged down by all the chatter running through our heads during our waking hours. All those swirling thoughts, emotions and memories pile up, making us restless, less present, less productive and diminishing our well-being and peace of mind.
Your mind can become as chaotic as a cluttered house, office or storage space.
What’s your clutter look like?- Fear about the future
- Ruminations about the past
- Regrets
- Guilt and shame
- Angst and disappointments
- Negative self-talk
- Over-analyzing
- Endless to-do lists
There are strategies and self-care habits you can adopt to free up some headspace and gain more clarity and focus. Spring is the perfect time to declutter your mind – we could all use a mood and productivity boost just about now, and clear away those negative thoughts that heighten stress and irritability, and drain away the good energy and sunshine from our lives.
We live in a world where we can barely catch our breath, so it’s essential to take a time out from the mental noise with some deep breathing. Create positive vibes, feel your heart rate go down, and ease the burden with a breathing break. Deep breathe before starting a new task, during a walk, waiting in line, before going to bed and when getting up. Take a deep breath from your belly and feel it expand. Inhale for the count of four. Exhale slowly for a count of six or more. Visualize stress leaving your body with each extended exhale.
Mindfulness is a powerful tool to reboot the brain and find calm. Teaching your mind how to settle down and be present with your full attention can help gently quiet some of the background thoughts and noise. Meditation wellness classes and online tools and resources can help soothe the brain and make mindfulness a part of your daily routine. Experiences will be more enjoyable, richer and less rushed.
Technology vies for your attention and once it hijacks your mind, it’s a challenge to refocus on what you were doing. Tech clutter needs to be controlled or it controls us. Be intentional about setting healthy limits with social media and news. Set up specific times to check on these distractions rather than constantly multitasking and interrupting your focus. Unfriend and unfollow all the angst and misinformation. Make the hour before bed screen-free time. Take a daily walk without your phone. Do whatever works best for you.
Keep a journal. Our minds are forever interrupted by racing, intrusive thoughts and ruminations. Free up space by downloading your worries, resentments and disappointments – and letting them go on paper. Record your dreams, goals and small actions you’ll take to get there. End on a positive note by journaling one thing you’re grateful for. Even the smallest thing counts.
Write it down or dump it digitally. Make an ongoing to-do list to help clear out excess mental data that overwhelms and hogs mind space. List all those little tasks you need to do as you think of them. Prioritize each task and then schedule a few hours every two to three weeks to get them done and catch up. Feel freer and lighter, and more in control.
Clutter in our mental space is sometimes a reflection of the external clutter around us. It’s a struggle to focus on anything the least bit complicated when our living space is a mess and disorganized. Our minds are bombarded by all the excess stimuli, demanding our attention and blocking positive energy. When we clean up our physical environment, our internal environment gets cleaned up too.
Schedule downtime. Retreat with a weekend away from life’s busyness. Spending time in nature enhances moods and boosts mental health. You don’t need to earn downtime – it’s essential to your well-being. Find healing and relaxation for the mind, spirit and body at Ste. Anne’s Spa. Rejuvenating treatments, meditation classes, nourishing organic meals, nature walks, and restful sleep will bring you joy and balance.
Spring into the season with the intention to clear away mental clutter. Prioritize self-care strategies to foster peace and ease of mind. Hush the noise in your brain so you can listen to the sound of your own voice and nurture your needs. We hear you at Ste. Anne’s – come for a mental detox and clear the path to enhanced harmony and energy. Your brain will thank you for it.
