3 Ways to Quickly Declutter Your Mind

We usually think of clutter as physical. It's all that "stuff" you keep promising yourself you'll clean up. Left alone, it seems to multiply on its own. Where you just had a few things out of place and distracting you a few days ago, now there are more.

 

Clutter is like that. A crowded, messy area magically attracts other items that don't need to be there. While you may think this isn't a big deal, it can be. Aside from the danger that substantial clutter provides (it can be a fire hazard, you may trip over it, etc.), any amount can be distracting. This kills your focus and concentration.

 

Maybe you don't have much physical clutter in your environment. You are exceptionally neat and organized. If that's the case, good for you. Don't forget that clutter can also exist in your mind. Having too many unnecessary things in your head at once can keep you from focusing on the things that matter.

 

Here are three simple ways to de-clutter your mind. They go to work immediately, removing thoughts, obsessions, and other mental messes so you enjoy less stress and anxiety and better mental wellness.

 

1.  Divorce Yourself from Drama

 

This might mean saying goodbye to some people in your life. If they don't provide more positives than negatives, their drama might not be worthwhile. Being around a dramatic individual regularly fills your head with unnecessary distractions. 

 

The issues that the drama queens in your life are constantly dealing with become your issues to some extent. Ditch the drama. Say no to issues and individuals you don't have to deal with. If the drama isn't yours, you shouldn't have to put up with it.

 

2.  Stop Living in the Past and Worrying about the Future

 

Well, maybe you can worry about the future just a little bit. It makes a lot of sense to plan your life. If not, you're letting chance, other people, and circumstances decide how your life will go.

 

You probably know what we're talking about here. It doesn't make any sense to obsess over things in your past. They're gone, and you can't change them. Use any lessons learned to move on with more information. 

 

As far as the future goes, constantly worrying about it won't do you any good. This clogs up your brain and leaves no space for your mental machinery to deal with your life.

 

3.  If It Runs on Electricity, Spend Less Time with It

 

From when some people wake up until they go to bed, they are bathing in digital distractions. You have your own unique electrical field. Constantly exposing yourself to the electromagnetic fields of your phone and tablet, television, laptop, and all the consumer electronics you encounter at work and play can fry your brain and fill it with mind-numbing clutter.

 

These are things you can do right now, this very minute. When you do, you immediately start clearing out your mental storage unit. The benefits are less stress, more focus, and better mental health; you might even find yourself sleeping better at night.

3 Reasons and 3 Ways to be Present

The greatest minds on the subject will tell you we don't fully understand what existence is. For regular people, there's the idea of a past, a present, and a future. We understand we're living right now, and that's pretty much what we can wrap our minds around. We see our life playing out before us. We have senses we use to experience the world.

 

We're in the present now and have memories of a past existence. We have hopes and plans for our future. For most of us, that's what we know about life.

 

Deep thinkers tell us that all we have is the present moment. When you think about it, that makes sense. Your past is gone. There's no control over it. You really don't have any control over your future either. All you have is right now. As it turns out, embracing your present reality has a lot of benefits. Here are three reasons why you should spend more time in the present moment and three simple ways you can do just that.

 

3 Benefits of Embracing the Moment

 

1. Better Relationships and Improved Social Skills

 

Focusing on right now opens your eyes. You see the people in your life with more clarity. This includes those that you barely interact with, as well as the people you see frequently. That leads to better social skills and healthier, more fulfilling relationships.

 

2. Less Stress and Anxiety

 

This is the go-to benefit lifelong mindfulness practitioners talk about. There is much less stress when you worry less about tomorrow, next week, and next month and appreciate the present. 

 

3. Greater Self-Love and Self-Esteem

 

Being mindful of your present state of being leads to self-awareness. You find you have so much more to appreciate about who you are right now and fewer expectations of your future self.

 

3 Simple Ways To Live in the Present Moment

 

1. Breathe Deeply

 

Take a few deep breaths and focus on them. Breathe in and out and appreciate your present moment. Do this for a couple of minutes whenever you need to calm your racing mind. This is a stress-relieving aspect of mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and other practices for living in the now.

 

2. Practice Daily Gratitude

 

Look around you. What do you have to be grateful for? Your truest blessings are here right now. Practice gratitude each day for the good things in your life. This teaches you to appreciate the present moment instead of spending all your time wishing for something better in the future.

 

3. Forgive Yourself and Others

 

Forgiving is about letting go of the past. You remove future expectations as well. This is key to experiencing all you can in the present moment.

 

Those are just a few reasons why being present is so important. You also have three proven ways to focus more on right now and less on the past and future. Give yourself the gift of being present today so that your tomorrow can be more fulfilling.

 

For More Productivity and Better Outcomes, Stay in the Moment

Do you remember when multitasking was all the rage? In the 1990s, self-professed productivity gurus told us to constantly juggle multiple tasks. We were told that most big achievers in life could do several different things at once, all of them successfully and at a high level of productivity.

 

Best-selling books talked about multitasking to improve virtually every aspect of our lives. We were told we could do so much more in less time, giving us more free time to do whatever we wanted.

 

After a few years of generating billions of dollars in self-improvement sales, multitasking was unmasked.

 

It was found to be a productivity killer. Millions of people woke up to the reality that the best way to get something done is to do one thing at a time. Focus on a single task until it is completed. Then begin tackling something else. This was and still is the single best way to maximize your time and minimize your effort.

 

Giving All Your Attention to the Current Moment Is All about Focus

 

One of the oldest carpentry axioms tells us to "Measure twice, cut once." This minimizes errors. You don't spend more money than you need to on lumber. You're not wasting money on wood you miscut because you were in a rush with your measurement.

 

In other words, the entire focus is on the present moment. That moment is measuring the piece of lumber you are about to cut. You're not thinking about an upcoming vacation or what you'll eat for dinner. That can cause you to make a mistake. Nothing else should exist except whatever it is you're going to be cutting.

 

Then you measure it again. Your focus is so intense on getting this right that you understand the importance of double-checking your work. This is a simple example of living in the moment. The best carpenters are present in their current actions. They understand that letting their minds wander could lead to an incorrect measurement. That means having to buy more materials to replace their mistakes.

 

A lack of focus on carpentry could also mean smashing your thumb with a hammer. Or worse, if you aren't paying attention while using a saw.

 

We use these real-world examples of the importance of focus to help you appreciate living in the current moment.

 

You'll improve productivity if you focus on the "right now" slice of your life. It's really all you have control over, isn't it? Your past is behind you, and your future is far from guaranteed or controllable. Start spending more time in the present moment, totally immersed in your current existence, and you'll see more productivity and better results in your life.