Many of us think of spring cleaning our home, but what would it look like to declutter our life and our mind in the same way? What would we include that is taking up unnecessary and unhealthy space? Are there grudges we are holding on to? If our physical space disorderly? Do we have so much on our plate that we can't make heads or tails of what is a priority? Are we so chaotic that we have no time for our own self care? Consider some of these suggestions for how you might go about clearing space in your life and feeling more at ease in all areas of your life.
1. This may seem simple, but declutter your surroundings. This means at home and at your workspace. Have a place for everything, and have a system for where things can be put and found quickly, and as needed. Disorganization around you, and an inability to find what you are looking for, can cause undue stress.
2. Break things down into small and manageable tasks. Things can feel overwhelming when we think about the end result. However, if we break tasks down into smaller and more manageable steps, we feel like we are accomplishing something, and making forward progress towards our goal.
3. Learn to say "no." Too often we fear letting people down, upsetting our boss, our friends, our family. We struggle to say "no" and keep piling on more than we can take. Learning to say "no" feels hard at first, but becomes easier with practice. When we say "no," we allow ourselves the time and effort to focus on the things we have on our plate. To give them the time and focus they deserve.
4. Make sleep a priority. We should all be going to sleep at the same time each day and night. We should remove all distractions from the bedroom, including our phone screens that stimulate our minds and keep us awake. Making sleep a priority, allows us to feel sharp and focus for tasks we need to complete. We feel more capable, more focused, and more able to do what us being asked of us, because we are well rested and alert.
5. Donate things that you do not need. Once I donated 20 percent of my belongings, and it was very cleansing. There is truth to the thoughts that if you have not worn or used something in a year, you likely have no need for it. There is also the belief that is it does not serve a purpose, make your life better, or serve the purpose of beauty, you can likely live without it.
6. Declutter your relationships. Step back and take a hard look at who is in your life and why. Are they mutual relationships? Is there give and take? Do they make you a priority in their lives? If that is the case, keep them and cherish them. However, if they are the type of people who never make time for you, always cancel plans, make you feel bad about yourself, and only take, but never give to the relationship, it is time to consider their role in your life, and if you benefit from being part of it.
7. Reconnect with your creative side. This can tie in with making time for self-care. This is telling yourself that you and time for yourself need to be priorities in your life. That you will never allow yourself to be too busy to foster your creativity and get in touch with the younger, more base version of yourself. These exercises can prove extremely cathartic and stress reducing. They can remind you that you are a person of many talents, and that you are not just your job, or your role in your family. You are a unique individuals with gifts that deserve to be fostered.
8. If you find yourself unable to relax, to focus on yourself, to allow yourself time for self-care, to organize yourself and your surroundings, to learn to say no, or examine your personal relationships, you might benefit from some individual therapy or life coaching. A professional can help you work through whichever issues are holding you back, and keeping you from having a truly healthy and clutter free life. Mind and soul.