I can’t believe I haven’t written explicitly about this before – it’s a concept I am a big fan of (and I love the TV show ‘Sort Your Life Out’) so it’s about time I wrote about it!
Why decluttering matters
I’m not just talking about physical stuff – like your home, your garage, loft and cupboards etc (although these definitely feature)!
To me, decluttering links very clearly to another one of my favourite concepts – simplicity. If things are overly busy, fussy, overcomplicated, and well, cluttered, I can’t help but think there must be some truth in we are making life a bit harder for ourselves when we could do something about it.
It is a coincidence that this is coming out in early Jan, but it’s no bad thing! Whilst I don’t believe we need the ‘new year, new you and new year resolutions’ mentality to make changes for ourselves (let’s do that at any time!), I recognise that for many it’s a time of year when we do feel a sense of a fresh start or new energy for the year to come.
The decluttering I am talking about extends to our physical space (our stuff), our mental space (our thoughts) and our routines / patterns (our time). Giving each of these a declutter gives us space for focus and new opportunities, rather than just trying to squish more in on top!
Declutter your physical space
I know when I have too much stuff around me I find it harder to concentrate. Some of it is a distraction, and some of it can feel stressful and overwhelming (where to start?!), but overall the impact is the same – reduced focus and output!
If it is a case of ‘where to start’, maybe your immediate workspace is a good one, or where you like to relax so you know you have somewhere to retreat to and somewhere to focus. Start small if needs be – your desk drawer, a kitchen cupboard (the one which hides all the mismatching Tupperware!) or the drawer of doom (the one with tape measures, Sellotape, Allen keys and other random things you never knew were there, especially when you needed them!). You might be surprised just how much can be done in 20 minutes!
Declutter your thinking
As a life coach, you won’t be surprised to see this one come up – and being really honest, I’d give it the edge on being the most important one. As humans, we ask a lot of ourselves, but we also can stack the odds against us somewhat by worrying, trying to predict the future, ruminating in the past, having generally unhelpful or self-sabotaging thoughts, replaying events over in our minds, and so on!
All this mental clutter can really drain our energy, put decisions on hold (or going round in circles!) and mean we don’t end up focusing on the things that really matter to us. Spending time here is really what I do as life coach – supporting helpful thinking and therefore actions. But a few tips that could help might be to:
· Brain dump the thoughts onto paper: write down the tasks, worries, the repetitive thoughts that are all swimming around together. Just seeing them set out can help you refocus your energy and effort where it matters most.
· Notice, and try to let go of the word ‘should’ – see how often it is cropping up for you! (e.g., “I should be doing more or xxxxx”). I have a whole blog just on should which you can access here – I think one of the key things is to consciously replace the word should (because ‘should you?’ with other words like ‘will’ or ‘choose to’)
· When you are aware that your thinking is getting you nowhere fast (e.g. indecision), try an interruption – even a quick stretch and a few deep breaths, even better a walk in some greenery if you can, and it can give you a chance to reset and refocus on your return.
Declutter your routine / timetable
Our days can get very busy, very quickly! But what are they full of?! When we are overcommitted, there’s little space for us to reflect, to rest and focus on ourselves. And whilst the calendar may be full, some important things don’t get a look in.
Maybe consider an ‘audit’ of what is in your diary, and your commitments. And what isn’t in there that you’d like to be?! Are there things you can delegate, postpone, or say no to?
Whilst it may be tempting to fill gaps, there is value in some ‘free’ time too – it won’t stay empty but it may give you a chance to put in some of the fun, creative or restful things you wish you could get around to.
The positives of life decluttering
There is so much more we can extend the idea of decluttering to – social media for example, our emails (and how many we subscribe to), it’s more than just physical stuff - although granted that is very immediately obvious and satisfying when it’s reduced!
I think some really helpful and motivational thoughts to have around whatever you are decluttering in your life is to consider this: ‘if I am removing away what I no longer need, what might I be making space for?’
So – will you give it a go and where will you start? My desk drawer is calling…!
If you’d like some support with ‘decluttering’ your thinking, or if personal growth is something you have made way for, please do reach out to see if coaching with me may be a good match – kathryn@kbmindfulcoaching.com
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