Lifestyle / How To De-clutter Your Mind

How To De-clutter Your Mind

Lifestyle Oct 10, 2013

by Yvonne Sinniah

When our list of to-dos start piling up and our commitments to various things and people increase, it’s easy to feel stressed and overwhelmed.

Pressure to be a master multitasker to stay on top of today's go-go lifestyle can be quite the ordeal and a health hazzard to boot. Below I've outlined easy ways in which you can de-clutter your emotions, your own space and mind to achieve that blissful place of serenity in your life.

1. Live as a Minimalist:

We constantly want, need and do more yet the reality is that it is hard to focus when your phone is ringing off the hook and people are emailing you non stop, creating havoc and disorder in your work space and mind-space.

The reason it takes us almost as long to begin a task as it does to complete it, is that our brains are so overwhelmed with the amount of information they must sift through and process at any given moment in a day.

No wonder we are often left feeling burnt out and overwhelmed.

It is important to recognize that there will always be more work to do, more money to make and more things to buy. In a world where multitasking seems to be a prerequisite, the need to get back to the basics and learn how to focus is paramount.

So begin the process of de-cluttering, looking at the things around you and the things you do on a day to day basis and ask yourself: Do I really need this stuff? Do I really need to do this? The answers will help you simplify your surroundings and your schedule.

2. Allow Yourself Time to Recharge:

Try meditation, yoga, art or even writing.

Do something that is just for you. Something that has no time limit, hence no pressure. Just do it because it makes you happy. You need this down time in order to stay focused and productive at other times. Just enjoy empowering your spirit and consequent mental de-cluttering.

3. Treasure Your Memories NOT Things:

According to many spiritual teachings, we are able to control our happiness by controlling our minds.

The first step towards this is the realization that in life there is suffering. All kinds of suffering. Not just the extreme, but the everyday anxiety, restlessness and overall dissatisfaction that in life we often encounter.

The root cause of this suffering is often said to be attachment. When we form attachment to something we are setting ourselves up for the disappointment of losing it. That’s what makes it so hard for us to de-clutter in the first place.

Just like smells and songs can become powerful triggers for memories and emotions, so too can the 'things' that clutter our houses, office spaces and closets.

De-cluttering means that we have to throw away all the things in our lives that we have formed emotional attachments to. Instead, try accepting the fact that 'things' are just that, always replaceable. It’s the memories that we should really care about since they can never be discarded.

4. Minimize Negative Within and Around You:

When we think about de-cluttering, we often focus solely on our stuff.

We clean out our closets, pare down our wardrobes and tackle the paperwork mountains accumulating on our desks. Although this does usually make us feel better, why stop there?

Take a page from the annual Buddhist purification ceremony Joya-no-Kane: a ritual that encourages a spiritual fresh start for the coming year. With each toll of a bell, those who gather can renounce a negative habit, acknowledging it and letting it go.

Try something similar yourself by resolving to purge your own negative habits, attitudes and traits that keep you from being the best person you can be.

**For more reading and information on De-cluttering mind, body and soul, check out the work of Australian Peter Walsh, author of several books on de-cluttering and host of Extreme Clutter.

_{Photo Credits:

Feature Image: Take Time for Yourself /www.sashabrisk.com

Other Images: www.cityoflondonstorage.com,beliefclosetcleanout.com –}

Yvonne Sinniah

Author

Yvonne Sinniah (@YvonneSinniah) is a Relations Advisor and inspirational speaker focusing on helping individuals achieve success in personal and professional environments. focusing on helping individuals achieve success in personal and professional environments. She is on a mission to meet a nee...

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