Decluttering Your Mind With These Simple Tips
Decluttering and getting organized usually feels really good. It can help you to feel less stressed and to enjoy your home and environment more.
But decluttering doesn’t just have to be for the rooms, closets, etc. in your house. Sometimes, what we really need to do is declutter our minds.
Have you ever felt that way- like your mind needs decluttered?
I don’t know about you, but there are so many things to keep track of in life that it often feels like my brain is going to overload. And then, of course, we all have difficult emotions and events to deal with which adds to the thoughts running through our heads.
This all can lead to feeling like your thoughts are crowding into each other and causing chaos. That head-is-going-to-short-circuit kind of feeling.
But there’s good news:
There are some simple ways to get rid of the chaos and declutter your mind. And none of them take very much time to do.
Try out these 6 simple decluttering tips for your mind and take back your head space!
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#1- Write Things Down
It seems like there are two kinds of people: those who like to journal and those who don’t.
I don’t. Despite being a writer (and having a blog), I’ve never liked writing my thoughts or feelings down on paper. But I recently decided to give it a try and committed to writing in a journal at the end of each day.
And you know what?
It really helped! There’s just something about actually writing things down on paper that helps us to get whatever it is out of our heads. Otherwise, it will just keep going in circles in your mind.
(These are my favorite journals to use, especially because they are made of 100% recycled paper.)
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I’ve tried two main approaches to journaling:
One is to just get out your journal and write down whatever comes to mind. Put down your thoughts, feelings, ideas, and anything else you want to get out of your head.
This works well for people who already like journaling or who prefer to freestyle it.
The other approach (and the one I use) is to have a series of questions that you answer every night to check in with yourself.
Here are some example questions: How did I feel about this day? What happened today that stood out to me? What were my feelings throughout the day? What are plans/goals I want to work on?
Having questions makes it easier for me to write.
However you choose to do it, grab your own journal and spend just 5-10 minutes getting your thoughts out. You might be surprised by how decluttered your mind feels!
#2- Talk It Out
Similar to writing, talking things out (as opposed to going around in circles inside your head) can really help.
Whether it’s talking about how you felt about something, asking for someone’s input on a problem you’re having, or even delegating something to someone, talking can really clear out the mind.
I know that when I have a problem or something that’s not working, I tend to keep trying to figure it out on my own.
But when I go to ask someone else’s opinion or talk through the problem, I’m much more likely to figure things out. Even if they don’t have a solution, I usually come away with new ideas or perspective.
So if you have thoughts and problems crowding up your head, go talk it out with a friend or family member!
#3- Use Aromatherapy
This is one of my favorite, favorite tips and methods for decluttering your mind.
If aromatherapy sounds a bit strange for decluttering, think about how your brain and sense of smell work. When you smell a fragrance (good or bad), it goes almost immediately to your brain.
AND our sense of smell is directly connected to the emotional center of our brains, meaning certain smells can calm, clear, and focus your mind.
My favorite aromatherapy method is using essential oils, either in my diffuser or just by inhaling them from the bottle.
When it comes to decluttering, I go with oils and scents that are grounding, calming, and clarifying.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Frankincense for grounding and clear thinking; Clary Sage for calming and clarity; Peppermint for energy and focus; Orange or Lemon for energy and clarity; and Black Spruce for grounding and calming.
Finding your favorite oils and fragrances will really help you to get your mind in a space where it can clear out.
Aromatherapy and essential oils are really easy to try out, and you might be surprised at the results!
#4- Use A Planner
This goes back to the magic of writing things down.
Starting to use a planner (or even a calendar) is one of the best decluttering tips to get information out of your mind.
Some people like to have every hour of their day planned out in a planner, but you don’t have to get that detailed (unless you want to).
Just think about what’s usually floating around in your head. Are you trying to remember what plans and activities you have for the week? Do you lose track of appointments or get-togethers?
Writing these things down in a planner or on a calendar means you don’t have to remember everything!
Your mind can take a break, and you can just look at your planner every morning or the night before to see what’s coming up.
The best practice is to set aside time each week (I do mine on Saturday) to write down what’s happening the coming week. It doesn’t take that long, and you’ll save your brain a lot of work!
For the ultimate work/life/meals planner, I use this one from Living Well Spending Less. If you want something smaller or less expensive, this one from Amazon is also nice.
#5- Meditate
On any list of mind decluttering tips, meditation is probably going to show up somewhere. It’s the ultimate way to declutter your mind.
That being said, sometimes meditation is made out to be something complicated, and people end up not even trying it.
But:
Meditation can really be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. The main idea of using it to declutter your mind is to focus on emptying your mind of the thoughts swirling around in it.
I do a very simple meditation practice: I sit somewhere comfortable and set a timer for 10 minutes. Then, I start to deepen my breath and focus on my breathing or some other sound (like the clock ticking).
My goal is to let my thoughts go. If something comes up in my mind, I “look” at it without reacting and let go of it on the next breath.
And here’s the thing:
You don’t have to be perfect at meditation to get something out of it. Any progress you make toward letting go of thoughts will help your mind feel better and less stressed.
#6- Go For A Walk
If you are someone who just doesn’t want to sit still and meditate, you should probably try it anyways because it’s good for you BUT I’ve found that movement is another great way to declutter the mind.
Walking or going for a hike somewhere is what helps me the most when my mind feels full or overwhelmed, but you can really do any form of exercise that makes you feel good.
When we start connecting with our bodies through movement, our minds somehow get the signal to relax.
I’m sure there’s some scientific reason behind that, but I just know that it works. And as a bonus, walking and exercise is also good for your health!
Try Out These Decluttering Tips!
Of course, no matter how simple the tips are, decluttering your mind does take work. You can read about it all day, but actually trying these activities is what’s going to help!
So get your own journal and start getting your thoughts on paper. Talk to a friend when you need to work something out or go for a walk to clear your mind.
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