Declutter Your Mind- Beyond Meditations

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”

Plutarch

While we are all busy trying to clear away the physical clutter in our homes and other areas of our lives, we often forget to declutter the unnecessary from our minds.

We, human beings, have this weird habit of disregarding anything that cannot be explicitly seen or touched or felt. As a result, we fail to pay attention to many important aspects of our lives. Mental clutter is a real concern in today’s world of constant stress and stimulation. It is thus essential that we show ourselves some love and respect and declutter our minds from time to time. 

What Exactly is Mental Clutter?

Have you noticed all those unwarranted thoughts that come to your mind at the oddest possible hours? Or the cooked up scenarios that you agonize over, even though in your heart you know that you are over-analyzing stuff. 

Both are signs of a cluttered mind. If you feel anxious most of the time or stressed out and tired, chances are high that your mind has become a full vessel. Its time to declutter.

How Do You Declutter Your Mind?

In today’s world of excessive stimuli- be it in the form of social interactions, meetings, workplace requirements, or from social media, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep ourselves free from all the junk that finds its way to us.

Meditation practices are a good start on this journey of decluttering. However, they might not be enough. For one, meditating requires a different kind of discipline that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It takes a lot of patience to be able to still our minds enough to be able to see through all the unnecessary accumulations. 

So, What Do You Do?

Fret not, there are very effective ways, other than meditating, that can help you declutter your mind. Most of these are mindfulness practices and does not require much to start. I have personally practiced all of them and benefitted hugely. Thus, without further ado, here are 10 tried and tested ways to declutter your busy mind.

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings First

Why is it that we find it so difficult to acknowledge what we feel? Most of us put our feelings on the backburner. However, the first step to decluttering our minds involves understanding our innermost feelings. 

What are you feeling today? Stressed? Anxious or simply tired? Or are you feeling happy? 

Whatever it is, be true to yourself and acknowledge it. Only then will you be able to follow the next steps to successfully declutter your mind.

2. Allow Yourself to Breathe

It isn’t easy to admit and accept our feelings at all. So, it is very important to remember to breathe. Most of the times we function by mindlessly taking shallow breaths. But our systems are meant to be so much more.

Hence, take some time and take a deep breath. Be aware of what emotions are going on inside you. I personally find the 4-7-8 breath counting technique to be effective. But you can do it as you find it suitable. 

So go ahead, take that deep breath in and release it out. Repeat and see how it becomes a tad bit easier to deal with all that clutter in your mind.

3. Figure Out What is Important

Not everything that is going on in your mind is of equal importance. It is necessary for you to figure out what matters the most. Certain things might be bothering you because they are actually of relevance while others can be sometimes just figments of your imagination.

Filter out what matters the most at this stage. 

4. Let Go of The Rest

Anything that you deem to be not as important you must let go. It can be a very difficult feat to achieve, especially if you are anxiety-prone like me. But, with practice, you will find it easier to manage. 

If there is one thing that I have learned from my tryst with trying to declutter my mind then it is this- things become doable with practice. If you can persevere and stick to it then it will become a habit.

As of now, try to focus on the things that matter and let go of the rest.

5. Stop Multitasking- You are Not a Machine

One of the things about modern society that I absolutely cannot get behind is the notion that we have to be doing everything or else we are a failure. It doesn’t have to be so. In our jest to do it all, we try to multitask, sometimes even to the detriment of our mental and physical health.

Stop doing it!

When you multitask, you try to pay attention to more than one thing and that simply doesn’t work. In the end, you either do a couple of jobs poorly or spend more time than necessary. Either of these scenarios can add to your mental clutter.

To declutter your mind, take the definitive step of not multitasking unless of course, it is absolutely necessary. You will immediately feel a weight release off your shoulders by saying no to multitasking.

6. Write Things Down If That Helps

Many people find writing down to be useful. I am also one of them. So, if you feel that it is your thing, then you can start a journal to write about your emotions and what you are feeling at the moment. 

Putting things in writing make them real. It gets laid out in the open and you have to deal with it. 

Journaling is a good idea when it comes to writing. There are lots of resources online to help you get started. However, if you ask me, go about this as you want to, there is no right way here.

7. Or Talk To a Close Confidante

If writing is not really your jam, then perhaps you can try talking to someone whom you trust with your feelings. Speak to your best friend or partner or your mother- anyone you feel comfortable with. You might feel vulnerable at first but remember that the more you share, it becomes easier to declutter.

8. Declutter The Physical Space

Often the physical clutter around us affects us mentally. Hence, look around yourself and see if any aspect of your physical space seems a little too crowded for comfort. You may find that you need to declutter your kitchen or office desk or even your car. 

Whichever it is, take some time out and clear off the junk. I can guarantee you that once you have a more organized physical space, your mental clutter will also lessen.

9. Go Outside- It Helps To Clear The Mind

There is something magical about being out in nature. We all know that spending some time outside and getting fresh air can do wonders for both our mind and body. On your journey to declutter your mind, be sure to make time to go for a walk (or a run) outside. You will find that you end up with a lot more mental clarity with this activity.

10. Choose What You Consume Carefully

We are what we consume. In this case, it refers to all that we see, read or listen to during the day. Today’s world of constant digital connectivity means that we are always being fed information- some useful but most non-essential.

One of the critical ways to declutter our minds is to be very careful about what we consume. This may mean that you select the videos you watch on YouTube or even monitor your social media habits. Going on a social media detox is an effective way to reset things and clear your mind off the junk. Moreover, practicing mindfulness around your mental consumption habits is a great way to ensure that the clutter doesn’t return easily.

To Sum Things Up

Dealing with all those thoughts and emotions is by no means an easy feat. It takes practice and dedication to be able to declutter your mind and keep it that way. At the same time, life is too short to be worried about ten different meaningless things. Hence, ask yourself, do you really need to carry all the burden? Or can you be a little carefree in some areas?

Peace.

Do you have any related experience or story to tell? Please share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.