Clean Off Your Desk

I feel a whole lot better when my desk is organized. There are still piles of things that need doing, but those piles are tidy. The cords are tucked away, and things are lined up nicely.

This week is all about taking control of our space to reduce stress and feel better. Maybe for you the space you need to clear off isn’t your desk, it could be your bedroom, your bathroom, your car, or the kitchen counter. Just about everyone has a physical space that, when it’s messy or cluttered, adds to their feelings of stress and frustration.

What it really boils down to is self care. While many of us think of bubble baths, manicures and massages as acts of self-care, there is much more to it than that. Self-care includes doing things that improve your life, well-being, health and happiness.

For example, self-care can mean getting an annual check up with your doctor. Or brushing your teeth, taking the stairs, doing hypnosis,, or going to bed instead of staying up to watch one more episode.

And sometimes self-care involves things you don’t even think of as self-care at all, like cleaning off your desk! Not only is decluttering a way to practice self-care, it’s an important part of taking care of yourself.

The idea behind this is simple. When you encounter something in your life that causes you stress, unrest, frustration, anger, or some other unpleasant feeling, see if it’s something you have the power to change. If it is, then change it! The results are more powerful than you might think.

While we may not always realize it, clutter can have a really negative impact on your life. Your mind can only do so many things at a time, and trying to process everything that’s going on in a cluttered space can use a lot of resources, making everything else more difficult and taxing.

Clutter can make us feel bombarded by visual distractions and “stuff” all the time, so that the mind and eyes don’t get a chance to rest. That messy space can also make you feel like your to-do list is never-ending, or as if there’s always more to do, and you can’t keep up or catch up.

When a space is full of clutter and “stuff” it often doesn’t feel calm, relaxing or peaceful, and can even add significant amounts of stress and anxiety to your life.

So clean your desk, or your kitchen counter, or your car. Clearing the clutter means less of your mental capacity is taken up managing the “stuff” you own. You have less decision fatigue, simply because you have fewer things to focus your attention on. When your brain isn’t constantly being distracted by all of the “stuff” and clutter surrounding you, you have more ability to focus and concentrate.∎