Mental clutter is like physical garbage; it clogs our lives and stops us from seeing the big picture. Here’s how to get rid of it.
1. Make time to think
Most of us are so busy, that we rarely, if ever, set aside time to think about where our lives are headed, or even how we are really feeling. Make it a daily ritual to sit in silence (even 10 minutes a day is sufficient) and STOP. Silence not only calms the mind and body in the short term, but the long-term benefits are enormous. The best way to develop a habit of sitting in silence is to practice it at the same time each day and preferably in the same location. This helps the mind to accept that, at this time and in this place, it is time for some “time-out”.
2. Get it out of your head and onto some paper
Mental overload from constantly churning problems over and over in your mind is a common problem. Too many issues to deal with at once, or even just one big issue, can easily throw the mind into a state of overreaction, and the end result is feelings of anxiety, restlessness, physical tension, and problems with eating and sleeping.
Get out a piece of paper, sit down, and write a list of all the things that are worrying you. Both the big issues and the small ones. Make a list of both if you prefer. Although writing your problems down on paper won’t magically make them go away, seeing them there on the paper takes them out of your head. They become more real (and therefore more solvable) when you can actually see them—compared to letting them twirl endlessly inside a complex brain that never stops. And seeing them on paper gives you a chance to decide which problems need your immediate attention, and which ones can be solved relatively easily. This leaves you with the mental space to actually do something constructive about the more important problems that are concerning you. Don’t underestimate the value of getting your problems “out in the open”.
3. Making decisions
Now comes crunch time. After examining a problem, look at various alternative ways to solve it. Then, make your decision as to which option is the best for you. Be very specific about what it is you are preparing to do. Vague plans such as: “I want a better job” won’t make for effective change. If you need to enroll in a particular course to get that better job, then that is the type of decision-making that is required here. Simply making a decision to begin a particular course of action can make you feel more in charge, and thus less stressed.
4. Imagining the new you
While you’re on your way to becoming the new you, take time during your daily “time-out” to imagine yourself with that new job, or whatever life change you have decided on. Sports stars do it all the time—they see themselves first over the winning line, or clearing the highest bar. “See” yourself in that new job, that new house, that new relationship.
5. Making the change
Although making a positive decision for change will ultimately lead to improved happiness, you may encounter resistance from significant others about what you are trying to achieve. Minimize disruptions, misunderstandings, and hurts by explaining honestly why you are making the changes you are. Some will be happy for you, some won’t. Accept that this is the way it will always be when change is involved. Rather than worry about it, be happy for yourself.