Ever feel like this?
- My mind feels like it is filled to bursting -101 tasks, activities, things to remember, all fighting to be at the top of my to do list
- I keep forgetting things
- I am not as articulate as I would like to be
- I don't listen as well; I'm not as present
- I am not as productive – in my personal or my business life. Why? -because there is too much going on in my head.
Then your mind might be in need of a Spring Clean!
Mental Clutter is the worst. It's that little voice in your head reminding you of all the things that you have to do – right now. Never mind settling down to work, what about all the other things you have to do? Before you know it your mind is racing around at 100 miles an hour and you have made no progress. This doesn't just happen during the day either. No the little voice is still there, whilst you are trying to fall asleep. The harder you try to relax, the more awake you feel and the thoughts keep coming. Mental clutter if it gets out of control can deplete your energy and positivity and at its worst can make you feel overwhelmed, stressed and anxious. So what can you do to combat it?
Let's think about the 4 areas in our lives that get cluttered our minds, bodies, homes and our relationships. Today, I am going to concentrate on the mind clutter.
Although, decluttering in all areas is important, eliminating the mind clutter is the quickest way to remove the feeling of constant distraction. You know when you are there because your mind is running in all different directions and you will have totally zoned out of the present.
Do a brain or core dump. A 'core dump' is a term devised by David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done. The more information you store in your head, the more cluttered your thoughts will feel. Consequently, you have less time to focus on what is important to you.
One of the easiest ways to get everything out of your head is to do what is known as a "Brain or Core Dump" This is literally what it says on the tin. You write down all those things, that are running around in your head at break neck speed. Write them down on anything you have available at the time. We are not aiming for perfection here, so just use a post it note or piece of paper.
Write down anything and everything that comes to mind! You don't have to think about the tasks, what order they are in or how you are going to do them – that will come later. The task at hand, if you choose to accept it, is to just write. Don't forget to leave space, as you will probably add things to it. This strategy helps to get you out of the "can't think straight, so I can't focus on anything" frame of mind.
This works in the middle of the night, when you remember that you have to to perform a particular task in the morning and you don't want to forget it. Rather than lying there thinking about what will happen if you do forget, write it down.
Later on, look at your list. Now Breathe. Think about each item and make a decision on where everything should be processed – on your daily to do list, on your calendar, on priorities list, or this can wait until another time list. Ask yourself these questions:
Am I best person to do this? Why am I doing this, x would be better equipped to tackle this? What can I do to process these tasks/activities/responsibilities?
By doing this you get the information out of your head and stop wasting precious mental energy. You are literally transferring things you have to do or remember, from your head to a piece of paper or screen.
Exercise (or just move away from the desk). Just getting a change of scenery by going outside, getting some fresh air and going for a walk is a good way to get "stuff" out of your mind. For some gardening works, others jogging, tennis or the gym. It really doesn't matter what it is, as long as you enjoy it and you expend some physical energy.
Get some sleep It's amazing how we think we can survive on a few hours sleep and still expect to function effectively. Sleep is something you may need to rethink – you may not be getting enough. Sometimes just changing your sleeping patterns can work wonders. Just paying attention to how much (or how little ) sleep you are getting and how it is affecting you, can help in the first instance, to decide what you need to do.
Get out into nature. This is similar to taking a walk or physical exercise but it does not involve the activity. For me I find being by the sea really relaxes me and somehow calms my mind but also helps me to focus and put things in perspective. Being in the woods, a meadow or a park can do the same as well.
Journal Here's a new tool you can try – Stream of Consciousness journaling. This type of writing is a good way to get your thoughts and feelings out of your head and onto paper. It works particularly well if you're getting distracted by thoughts about a particular person, situation or event. Now when you first try this type of writing it can feel strange – it's nothing like the type of writing you learned at school, so it will take a bit of time to get used to it. For it to be effective use a blank page and then write down whatever is in your head. Think brainstorming, nothing should be judged or censored, it should all go down. Grammar and spelling is not important here either, or even your writing making sense at this point. If you don't know what to write or you feel silly writing like this, write that down too. "I don't know what to write" "This type of writing feels strange but I am going to give it a go" The most important thing is that you write down your thoughts in whatever format you want. This type of writing can provide interesting insights or connections that you normally wouldn't see.
It's good to talk! Get off Facebook and social media and talk to somebody. Call a friend, coach, relative, someone who you feel comfortable having a rant to or sharing your story with. Talk out loud about everything that's on your mind, or that one thing you can't figure out on your own. Talking it through out loud, with some good and powerful questions, will release the clutter and you'll start solving, whatever that problem is you're wrestling with. Talking to others about the topics that are cluttering your mind has two main benefits: it can help you feel validated and heard, and it can also provide you with a different perspective. Sometimes, your thoughts can feel really intense and then you feel overwhelmed. Talking to someone helps to relieve that intensity and urgency. Hearing someone else's perspective can also help you to reach a resolution or gain some new insights.
Schedule time for your Friends. Once a month, commit to lunch, coffee, a drink or dinner with a friend (s). Your friends are necessary part of your existence. It's always easy to say that you never have enough time, but is that really true? It's a bit like exercise: you don't think you have the time, but you're never sorry after you go.
Don't Forget Me time. Often we feel guilty for taking time for ourselves. However, everyone has a right to feel happy and fulfilled. Running from task to task at a 100 miles an hour, with no downtime, leads to one thing only – burnout!! So find the right balance between committing to others and taking some time out for you and file that guilt away in the bin, where it belongs. It is really easy to overcommit yourself sometimes and say yes to everyone else's commitments and neglect your own. This is also a form of mental clutter. It is tough but at some point you have to say no, without guilt. . Your life needs space too.
Read daily, or as often as you can – Again this should be something you enjoy. A book, magazine, blog (careful not to mindlessly internet search here). But just read. Commit to reading. On certain days, read something that educates you, on other days, read something that takes your mind away for an hour. Reading is an underestimated tool for reducing stress. Think about it when you get yourself lost in a great story, engaging article, you are completely distracted and are forced to focus on the present moment. The result – anxiety and tension from the mental clutter can drain away.
So there are a few tips for you – are you ready to "Spring Clean" that mental clutter!
Source : articlesbase.com
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