Can't-Miss Ways to Declutter Your Mind

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Can't-Miss Ways to Declutter Your Mind

Posted by: Dr. Mercola
March 11 2008 | 65,523 views

You may have read articles about how to declutter your home or your desk, but if anything needs decluttering, it’s your mind.

While your brain is a complex and confusing organ -- and your mind is certainly not like an inbox that can be sorted through -- decluttering your mind is actually not difficult.

You can sort through your mind, even getting past the scar tissue of old hurts and traumas, with these simple actions:

1. Breathe: Take a few deep breaths, and then just focus on your breathing for a few minutes. It has a calming effect, and allows other thoughts to just float away.

2. Write it down: If you have a bunch of things on your mind, get them on paper and off your mind.

3. Rethink your sleep: If you aren’t getting enough sleep, or your sleeping pattern isn’t ideal, it can affect you a great deal.

4. Take a walk: Get outside and do some kind of physical activity; it clears your mind.

5. Do less: Cross half the things off your to-do list; just pick a few things to get done today, and focus on those.

6. Declutter your surroundings: Having a lot of stuff around you occupies part of your mind, even if you don’t realize it.

7. Identify the essential: This means figuring out what is most important in your life, and focusing on these things.

8. Get in touch with nature: Looking at the ocean, a river, some trees or anything “green” can be calming and focusing at the same time.

9. Go slower: Walk slower, talk slower, drive slower and even work slower. All of these things tell your mind that you’re not in a hurry, and that you want to take life at your own, non-rushed pace.

10. Single-task: Multi-tasking fills your mind with a lot of clutter, without a lot of productivity. Instead of multi-tasking, single-task by focusing on just one thing at a time.

For five more great tips to declutter your mind, click the link below.

Sources:

Zen Habits December 15, 2007

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

If you woke up this morning with your mind racing, trying to remember your entire to-do list while getting yourself, and perhaps your kids, ready for the day, you are clearly in need of decluttering your mind.

But really, who isn’t?

Imagine, for a second, the relief and the pure joy you would feel if you knew that everything in your life was in its place, and all was well. Yet, many of us hold in our minds an obscene amount of information, such as:

Regrets from our past, feelings of guilt, worries and other negative emotions
Daily tasks that need to be done
Long-term projects yet to be completed
Reminders for your spouse, kids and other family members
Goals and dreams
Deadlines for work, bills, taxes and more

Obviously, keeping all of this in your head, and running through this list regularly to make sure nothing is forgotten, is exhausting. And even then you probably still feel a nagging sense of unease that something important is being overlooked.

Three of My Favorite Strategies for Clearing Your Mind Clutter

The tips from Zen Habits are great, and incorporating even a few of them into your day will be great for your emotional health. But there are a few more suggestions that I would add to this list, and that I suggest everyone try out for themselves.

1. Read David Allen’s Getting Things Done

“It's possible for a person to have an overwhelming number of things to do and still function productively with a clear head and a positive sense of relaxed control.”

This is the first sentence of the book, and I think it sums up the reason why I love this system quite nicely. I have progressed to the point where I am a black belt in his system and attribute much of my high productivity to applying his principles. But here’s the key: this system is not only about being productive. It’s about being productive in a way that keeps your mind calm.

2. Use This Three-Minute Tip From Carol Tuttle

Carol Tuttle is a master energy therapist who is particularly renowned for helping people to identify, and clear, the blocks and patterns that are causing destructive habits of living.

“Our minds form habits of thought that can interfere with our ability to calm them down,” she says. “We can easily overrun our minds with too much information and not allow enough stillness.”

So, whenever you begin to notice your mind feels stressed, worried or cluttered, here is what she recommends:

“Place your fingertips on your forehead, above each eye. Press firmly for three to four minutes while taking some deep breaths. Repeat aloud or in your mind: "I am okay no matter what happens. Everyone else is going to be okay no matter what happens."

This technique helps blood come back into the frontal part of your brain, which is the part of your brain that is calm and knows there is a solution to your life's situation.

3. Learn the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

EFT is similar to Carol Tuttle’s tip above, except that it involves tapping at various points on your body, while you repeat positive affirmations. This technique works more than any other traditional or alternative method I have used or researched, both in my personal life and among patients who come to my clinic.

My online EFT manual provides an overview on how and where to tap, and the proper affirmation techniques, so that you can begin using EFT immediately to help yourself and others attain freedom from your mind clutter and other negative emotions.

4. Learn How to Relax and Center Yourself

We have access to four guided audio sessions where Dr. Neil Fiore (a well known productivity psychologist) teaches you techniques that allow you to center yourself at will. Click here to download these sessions at no cost.