Getting Rid of Mental Clutter

CEBU, Philippines — It seems that life is getting more and more complicated. New health problems have come up in the last few decades, or at least certain ills have become more prevalent now than, say, a generation ago. It’s hard to pinpoint a single factor that brings this on; but one thing is certain: these problems will get worse, unless people start doing something about it.

Some people frequently wake up in the dead of night and start thinking of all the negatives going on in their lives.  Others feel depressed as old regrets and guilt re-surface from out of the blue. At work, looming deadlines and office squabbles are daily realities that make tempers so volatile.

Even young people at school aren’t spared. Loads of class assignments and peer rivalry wear many students down. The popular penchant for social media itself – supposedly for diversion – has become a source of stress.

At home, bills are getting due, house tasks are not properly distributed among the house residents, now and then there’s misunderstanding between the spouses, there’s also sibling rivalry among the kids, the roof is leaking, and so on. While many of these irritants are nothing new, but these have become much more stressful now in the light of the modern-day economic struggles. The stress that builds up from all of these can lead to a flood of wasted time and energy.

If such thoughts clutter a person’s mind before he even gets out of bed, he is left with too little mental space to focus on keeping his life on the right track. Mental clutter can cloud his attention on the things that really matter. It gets in the way of his pursuit of happiness.

But is there a way to clear the clutter out of the mind in order to create a stress-free, emotionally calm life experience? Luckily, according to Shelina Jokhiya at www.entrepreneur.com, there is! She shares tips for relieving stress, for increasing productivity, and for becoming more mentally organized:

1. Start with a list. Write down everything that’s in your head as a to-do list, in your digital notebook or diary; whatever method works best for you. There’s an electronic to-do list called TickTick which can be installed in your computer and also on your phone, to access at any time. You can write lists of items that are next on your to-do agenda, like projects or maybe something for the future, and of course, your shopping list.

2. Manage per project. Create a to-do list for each project. There are steps you have to go through to reach the end goal of the project, so set them out individually and conquer one task at a time. It’s much better setting items out instead of keeping them in your head.

3. Focus on one thing at a time. Stop multi-tasking if it’s wreaking havoc in your head, if you end up wasting time skipping between different tasks. Do one thing well, finish it to your satisfaction, and then move onto the next task.

4. Review and reorganize. Every week review your calendar, inbox, and to-do list. Set aside time in your weekly calendar to spend solely on reviewing, say, your office life, filing documents in their folders, trashing items that need to trashed, and setting new reminders and re-prioritizing tasks at hand.

5. Jot down ideas. Put down any random thoughts into a notebook. There’s the Evernote app you can use, or there’s also the Microsoft version called OneNote, or even an old-school notebook.

6. Take it easy day by day. Focus on important, essential items to complete each day. Try not to have daily ‘musts’; these will only stress you out.

7. Work off that steam. Exercise. It can help to increase the oxygen into your blood cells, which then goes to your brain and makes you more productive. Go for walks, even if it is only around a mall, to clear your head.

8. Step back. Calm down. If you don’t finish it today, you can get back to it tomorrow. It won’t be the end of the world.

It’s important to start simplifying life once again – for peace of mind and mental health. The simple way is to start with the first step and then the next step, and the next, until eventually everything is taken care of. It’s a healthy habit worth acquiring.