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How To Declutter Your Mind And Feel More In Control

How to declutter your mind

Our lives are often very complex and busy, filled with gadgets, tasks, and people. 

It can feel as though the pace of life has quickened and we are all struggling to keep up and maintain any sense of control.

I hate feeling like I have too much going on in my life, that there are too many distractions and demands. 

It tends to zap away my productivity and creativity and causes my stress levels to soar. This seems to be the case for so many people I know.

When we feel like this we need to learn how to quieten and declutter our mind.

1. Let go of the overload

Relaxing our bodies and minds is vital for our health. Our brains can only cope with a certain amount of information before they become fatigued and unable to function optimally.

If we are overloaded for too long, stress can build up. And as we all know, stress has many horrible side effects, affecting our health and our emotions, our relationships and our ability to perform tasks well.

In order to declutter your mind, you need to give yourself some peace and some space. That means taking time out from the technology and gadgets in your home and workplace.

Switch off your mobile, TV and computer and instead read an untaxing book or take a long bath. The key is to physically slow down and relax your mind and recharge.

I love to go for a walk. I firmly believe fresh air and gentle exercise is the perfect antidote to stress and negativity.

 The Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman once said “Demons hate fresh air”. If you aren’t keen on walking or the weather is bad, you might want to try meditation or yoga instead.

2. Write It All Down

A great way to declutter your mind is to write down the things that are troubling you, things you need to do or things you want to achieve.

Writing down helps to clear your head and committing your words to paper makes your intentions and goals more definite and helps you clarify your problems.

If something is troubling you it is a good idea to take a step back from the matter and then come back to the problem later when you have had some distance from it.

If I am worried about things I write them down like a list, starting with: “I am worried about…” I write down everything I can think of in the space of 5–10 minutes and afterwards I always feel lighter, as if I have literally spring-cleaned and decluttered my mind.

3. Clear Out Negative Thinking Patterns

A cluttered mind is often a fearful and self-doubting mind stuck in a pattern of thinking negatively. I know that when I am stressed I tend to be way more negative about everything.

 

Decluttering your mind requires you to be kind to yourself. This is a time to forgive and forget and not dwell on past mistakes or failures or wrongdoings. 

 

Instead, be thankful for the many blessings you have.

 

Showing gratitude is a wonderful way to declutter your mind of any negativity. 

 

Negativity can fill our minds with all sorts of bad thoughts and emotions such as regret, guilt and resentment. We all too often think about things we don’t want or don’t like, rather than more positive thoughts.

 

Swapping our negative thoughts for positive ones really does make you feel better about yourself and your life.

 

Push aside any considerations about what is “realistic”. 

 

Negative thoughts are no more realistic than positive ones – it’s simply about choosing an outlook.

 

Positive thinking takes some practice, but it’s well worth the effort. Whenever a negative thought pops into your mind, stop yourself and acknowledge it’s happening. 

 

 Then consciously form a new thought. 

 

If your negative thought focused on how bad you feel about being overweight, for example, shift that thought to focusing on what healthy foods you like to eat.

4. Limit Your Time With Negative People

You probably need to limit your time with negative people because they can clutter your mind as much as negative thoughts.

I used to work with a woman who was always complaining about something, to the point I used to dread having any contact with her.

Negative people can really drag you down.

Whenever someone tries to inflict their negative outlook on you, reply with a positive opinion or comment. 

You’ll either start to help them feel a little more positive themselves, or they’ll start to avoid you, finding your positivity irritating and weird.

Either outcomes fine!

In time, you’ll find that you attract more positive and uplifting people into your life.

 

Decluttering our minds improves all areas of our lives and is definitely something you’ll want to do regularly to make sure you continue to get good results.

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KJ Hutchings

KJ Hutchings

KJ Hutchings is a fiction and self-help writer and artist. Much of her work focuses on self-empowerment, self-esteem and creativity, as well as relationship issues. Visit her site kjhutchings.com to get 25% off any artwork in her online shop, free e-books and chances to win original paintings. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

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