Grab your coffee, hot tea, diet coke or wine and lets talk about this clutter. Yep, I said it! Clutter, you know the mess in your car, on your desk, your house? I don’t know about you but when I have too much clutter it is hard for me to focus and be productive. Same is true about our minds. While we will get into all those other areas another day, we are going to focus on our mind first. It is important to declutter that as well. How does that saying go? “My mind is like my web browser, 24 tabs open 3 frozen, and I have no idea where the music is coming from.” Most of the time I have so much going on in there I can’t think straight. So how do we declutter it?
First, I have found personally and with my students is to do a “Brain dump“. I know what you are thinking, but yes, trust me, this works!! Grab a piece of paper and just start writing any and everything that comes to mind. In class, I set a timer 1-2 minutes and tell the students to just write. This is anything from how you are feeling to your to do list or groceries you need to grab. Trust the process!! Once you get it all out on paper then you can begin to organize it. I use my planner for daily things i need to get done, a note pad on my phone for groceries and set reminders for other things. I also even have a notes page in my phone for all those links or items that I want to research aka shop for later online. Once I have cleared up some mind space and have written these things down, I do not have to continue to think and worry about them. I do this all the time. By doing this it has caused me less stress and anxiety.
Journaling is another way of declutter. I began to do this every morning or sometimes when i just have a lot on my mind. Morning time, I begin by writing five things i am thankful for. Yes, coffee is on the list most days. But then I just put my thoughts and feelings on paper. As I do this, I begin to feel a weight lifted off of me. Try it! Even if you have to tear it up later. It is okay- get those thoughts and feelings out. I would like to take a moment to elaborate on coffee being on that list most days. I have found that it isn’t really the coffee, but it is the time i have sat aside for that first cup of coffee. Those quite moments before the day begins, sipping that coffee while reading my devotion ,sitting quietly embracing the sounds of nature on my porch, or enjoying the view of the water. It really is the time that i have come to dedicate to that first cup of coffee. For you it may be hot tea, or whatever your favorite drink of choice its.
Alone time! Wow this one was hard for me and tricky. As I have gotten older and become an empty nester, alone time is something that I have come to enjoy. Walks on the beach or just sitting and watching the water dance. Or maybe it is just sitting in my comfy chair with my comfy clothes on – no phone, TV- nothing! As it says in Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” Here is the tricky part- do not allow yourself to use this time to overthink!
Other things that I find help is MAKING myself do something I enjoy daily-yes even if it means allowing myself 30 extra minutes a day. I promise you will not miss that 30 minutes of sleep! What is something you enjoy? Crafting, reading, working out, puzzling, podcast, gaming, sitcoms? Whatever it is, allow yourself that 30 minutes to get wrapped up in mindless pleasure, unwind let go. You will be surprised at how much clearer your mind is and more productive you are!
While we can not live in todays world without technology, we can set limitations for ourselves. Now, get busy decluttering that mind! Look forward to hearing what works for you or leave a comment to share other suggestions you have found that help you.
Until next time, remember “Whatever is on your mind is in God’s hands”
Southern with Sass 