First, let’s talk about what mental clutter is.
My definition is this:
mental clutter is anything that keeps your brain busy and buzzing so you can’t focus on what you need.
thoughts you don’t need, that don’t serve you or are good for you
Often when you feel overwhelmed, a large part of the overwhelm is actually mental clutter.
For example
- worrying about things you have no business worrying about, like what someone thinks of you
- overstepped boundaries
- time commitments that no longer serve you
- procrastination instead of eating the frog
- shoulds “I really should serve on the PTA” “I should be taking my kids to a playgroup” etc.
- unfinished business
- indecision. I’ve said before that indecision = clutter. This is true, too, of mental clutter. E.g. I had to do a presentation recently to one of two clients. I had a choice about how to approach it and which client to work with. The decision beforehand was mental clutter for me because I was going to and fro on which one to do. Once I made the decision, I had clarity and a clear mind.
My 5 favourite ways to reduce or eliminate mental clutter are:
1. Make decisions faster
As I said above, all that to and fro with “should I do this?” or “should I do that?” is a whole lot of mental clutter going on. I know it’s more difficult for some of us but try not to over analyse things too much and just go with your gut.
2. Make a master list
A master list is the most effective way to empty your mind of to-dos. If your mental clutter is made up of things other than tasks, then I suggest you journal or start a personal blog.
3. Exercise
When my mind is racing with hundreds of things, there’s nothing quite like going to the gym and exercising hard. It works even better when you really have to focus, like if you try a new type of class or a class with a different instructor.
4. Strengthen your boundaries
If you constantly feel drained and worn out by all the thoughts going through your head, especially when they relate to certain people, you may want to strengthen your boundaries.
E.g. From now onwards, I choose to interact with Person X in this way. Or I will only socialise with Person Y under these circumstances.
5. Unplug from social media
That’s right – unplug from the sources of noise in your life. Switch off your cell phone, stop going on Facebook and Twitter, stop reading blogs for a while until your mind is quiet again.
What do we do when we get lost while driving? We switch off the radio.
If you’re a little lost amongst the mental clutter, switch off the noise.
This works particularly well for mental clutter arising from relationship issues.
