Mental clutter – is it a new thing?

First of all mental clutter has been around forever, we’re just more aware of it now and it is accentuated by modern communications. Think of rolling TV news, the internet, social media, smartphones, emails, texts – the list is endless.

So is it any wonder that at times you find yourself unable to keep your mind in one place. It’s hard to think about what matters when you have hundreds of messages floating in and out of your mind.

Mental clutter is anything that preoccupies your thoughts and stops you from thinking straight. This clutter comes in all shapes and sizes; sometimes it’s a snide remark from a workmate or an echo from the past or one of the many responsibilities you shoulder. 

Aside from negative emotions that drain your energy and occupy your thoughts, overstimulation also causes mental clutter. We reply to texts on WhatsApp while watching something on YouTube and at the same time checking our email. While multi-tasking like that could be advantageous, you can only take so much. 

How do we get rid of all the clutter?

If it’s not something from the past which keeps creeping back to mortify you, it’s something just recent that you can’t quite get a handle on. Whatever the case, you find yourself always caught up in this chaotic feeling, and some days are worse than others. There are a few things in your life that you can tinker with and reduce the clatter so that you have a clear mind again:

1. Organize yourself from the inside 

Organization from the inside helps you direct your life in one course. The first thing here is to know that if you don’t write it down, you probably won’t commit it to memory. Put notes on your smartphone or carry a notebook to record your to-dos. 

Visualising your life can also help you achieve internal organisation. What do you want to have achieved in 2 weeks? 6 months? 1 year? The timeline is not the issue; it’s all about finding a goal. This visualisation helps you understand where you are going and what you need to do, and soon everything starts to come together.

In other words – prioritise to achieve your short, medium and long term goals.

2. Find a system or develop a habit to help Personal Organisation

It would be nice to know where everything is. Having to remember where you put something is irritating. Have a regular place for everything so that you know where to go when you can’t find your car keys or mobile phone in your pocket.

3. Improve your lifestyle 

The body needs physical nourishment for you to stay healthy. When you look out for your health, your mental state also improves. A good diet, physical activity and sufficient sleep will help clear the mind.

While getting rid of the voices in our heads remains a personal battle, the truth is, you can’t do it without some help. One needs to find a system that works in combating their mental clutter and add some proven tips to help them, however, the most important thing is have a strategy, goals and some milestones to help you get there on a personal and professional level.

Remember, Mayfair Cares.