Have you ever noticed how hard it can be to get things done when your mind is full of clutter? You find yourself distracted, time seems to slip away from you and you can’t seem to get it together. Welcome to the realm of mental clutter! We’ve all been there at one point or another and I can state with certainty that none of us has particularly enjoyed it. I mean seriously, who would. Mental clutter is definitely not conducive to a productive stress-free life.
On the contrary, a cluttered mind leaves no room for growth. This can lead to frustration, especially when you find yourself stuck in the same spot no matter how much you may be trying to move forward. In order to move forward, you must clear out the clutter and organize those things that are of value to your well-being. Think of mental clutter in the same way you would think of clutter in the physical sense. If your room is cluttered with objects it may be difficult for you to find things or quite possibly to even navigate the room, depending on the amount of clutter you may have. It’s hard for you to feel comfortable in a room that is cluttered and it can seem overwhelming when you think of how to even start organizing it. The same can be said for mental clutter. If your head is cluttered then you may find it very hard to:
– Remember things;
– Start or finish projects/work;
– Keep your focus on any one thing;
– Or even unwind at the end of the day.
Sometimes the “noise” that is mental clutter is a mash up of all the daily things we are confronted with in our fast paced lives. Getting reports in on time, the list of grocery items we need, kids activities, household chores that need to get done, that last minute stop to the post office you need to make; all of these things can contribute to the jumble that is mental clutter. Needless to say, it can be very annoying, stressful, and frustrating. The great news though is that by taking a couple of steps you can get rid of some of that clutter and get back some peace of mind.
Clear Out Your Physical Clutter!!!
Remember the comparison I pointed out earlier about the similarities between physical and mental clutter? Well, guess what… that physical clutter can be one of the reasons for your mental clutter. So pick up a broom, grab some storage bins, and a couple of trash bags and get to cleaning! Having a clear space is not only aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but it also creates a great place to work and think in. Take the time to really go through the things you have and start to remove those things that no longer serve any purpose for you. You can donate these things to charity if they are still in decent condition, so not only will you be freeing up your space, but you will also be helping others in the process.
Write It Out
So your space is clean, but the clutter remains? Pick up a pen and a notebook and get to writing. Sometimes we clog our brain with so much information that we can’t keep it all straight. By jotting things down, you give yourself the opportunity to really look at what is important and what you can do without. You can create to do lists that will help you to figure out what is a priority and what can wait. Set up categories that will help you to group like tasks together. For instances, you can have a work category where you list all work related tasks that you have to get done and then you could have a household tasks category with the things pending for you to complete at home. Once you have your categories listed with all the things that are pending for each, you can look at what is really urgent and requires your attention the most.
Once you figure it out, get to it and put ALL your focus on completing that one task. We often want to try to multitask, in an attempt to get more things done, but quite often this turns out to be an inefficient strategy and ends up costing us more time in the long run. Make sure to give yourself a
Still Cluttered?
If you’ve actively tried to clear out your mental clutter but you still manage to find yourself stuck then this might be a sign that there’s something more to it than just everyday noise. Sometimes we fail to address feelings or insecurities that we may have about different aspects of our lives. This can range from stress over work performance to feelings of instability in our personal relationships or even lack of financial stability. These feelings may be causing you to feel stagnant and can cause mental clutter that you may not even be consciously aware of having. Sometime, even though we may know what we need to do, it may be hard for us to implement it or even where to start.
In these cases, hypnosis can be the solution you may be seeking. Hypnosis helps to put you in a relaxed state of being that allows you to remain in control while quieting down the noise that mental clutter can create. When it is quieted, you find that it is easier to sort through it and analyze it without the feelings of anxiety and stress the noise adds to it. You are free to sort of peek in, see it from the “outside”, and really see what works for you and what does not. Think of it as spring-cleaning for your mind. By clearing away and organizing your clutter, you create a better space under which to function and are more apt to make better decisions more efficiently and with less strain. This in turn allows you to get at the root of what may be causing the feelings you have and helps you to confront them and deal with them, as opposed to merely burying them.