Declutter Your Mind – Get Organised

We all know that we should declutter our lives to bring about harmony, calm and a sense of wellbeing. However, doing it on a physical basis can be a much easier process than mentally. If you set aside a day to declutter cupboards, for example, you have a set pattern to work to. Put on some old, comfy clothes, get some cleaning products and bin bags together and set about sorting everything into piles.  Once the job is done, the reward is that you feel a real sense of achievement and positivity.

However, decluttering your mind can be much more daunting and difficult to achieve, albeit hugely important!  Organisation is key to both physical and mental decluttering. Below are 5 tips to help you declutter your mind, stay in control and have fewer matters pressing on your mind.

1) Write it Down

Physically writing a list, either digitally or on paper can help hugely. It’s an amazing way to feel you can let go of remembering that you must do – or come back to – something.  To-do lists are often talked about in a negative way in terms of being never-ending. However, if you’re juggling too many action points in your head, writing down a list of tasks or goals which you need achieve can seriously serve to take away stress.  It can even be a good idea to keep a notebook by your bed in case a lightbulb moment happens at 3am and you think you’ll forget by morning!

2) Review

It can be very useful if you periodically review your to-do list.  Often a task which dates back in time can turn out to be unnecessary. Similarly, you can sometimes find a task you previously added is just no longer a priority. Either way, if you can tick off a task without even doing it – result!

3) Prioritise

Prioritising tasks and goals on an ongoing basis is a great way to declutter your mind. If you don’t do this, tasks/ideas/goals can remain on your to-do list for the duration.  Make sure you prioritise the tasks that are the most important or those that can be done quickly. It’s a great way for you to make methodical, steady progress through everything on your list.

4) Schedule

It can really help if you strictly schedule periods of time to tackle tasks. It might be your email inbox that needs attention or perhaps social media. Either way, clear focus will speed up completion.  Reducing the need for multi-tasking and focusing on individual activities reduces the risk of adverse mental clutter.  If you can set aside specific time to focus wholly on one area, your productivity will increase. This strategy can help you avoid mindlessly trawling through social media and as a result will save you time. Equally, it will reduce the potential for facts, figures and information overload.  Any interesting blogs or articles you come across online can easily be saved for reviewing at a specific time.

5) Clear the Decks

‘Tidy space, tidy mind’ might be an old adage but there’s certainly a lot of truth in it.  Clearing the decks and making a tidy workspace will make you feel positive, productive and motivated.  Filing copies of all relevant paperwork electronically will help you keep the clutter at bay. Similarly, if you keep an electronic diary and categorise emails in your inbox in the same categories as your files, all your papers are very easily stored and subsequently located. Whilst there’ll be a few bits you find essential to keep as hard copies, colour coded files, regularly cleared out will do the trick.  Only keeping pens that actually work and any other necessary bits and bobs tidily on your desk is the only other ingredient to feel organised. Being in control of your workspace will, by default, ensure control of your work too!

If you should need assistance with getting organised, give us a ring today.