How to declutter your mind

How to declutter your thoughts and mind

A cluttered room can be difficult to navigate. The same is true for a cluttered mind. It can be difficult to think clearly and move from one thought to the next when your mind is too cluttered. A cluttered mind is often the result of stress. It’s normal to feel stressed every now and then, but too much stress and mental clutter can decrease your quality of life and make clear thinking difficult. Follow these tips to declutter your mind.

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Try journaling

To declutter your mind, put your thoughts on paper. Write down everything that you are thinking and experiencing. Journaling has been proven to relieve stress and anxiety, making it a great step to take if you want to think more clearly. Journaling is helpful for tracking your moods, releasing negative emotions, and tracking your progress toward goals or good habits.¹ Documenting your thoughts and feelings for just a few minutes a day is a crucial step if clear thinking is your goal.

Get enough sleep

Missing out on sleep can decrease your mental health and cause grogginess.² If you’re having trouble thinking clearly, you may not be getting enough sleep. It’s recommended that adults from ages 18 to 64 get seven to nine hours of sleep each evening. Adults that are 65 or older should get seven to eight hours of sleep each night.³ In order to declutter your mind, make sleep a priority and improve your sleep hygiene. Sticking to the same sleep schedule each day and unplugging from electronic devices at least thirty minutes before bed is crucial to improving your sleep and clearing your thought process.

Take up meditation

If you want to declutter your mind, consider meditation. Meditating is a great way to relieve stress and clear your thinking. It provides a sense of calm that can ease a cluttered mind.⁴ Meditation can be practiced anywhere, and best of all, it’s free! The key benefits of meditation include:

• Enhancing sleep quality
• Managing stress
• Lowering your heart rate and blood pressure
• Minimizing negative emotions
• Focusing on the present⁴

All these benefits are a crucial part of thinking more clearly.

Create a to-do list

Have you ever been paralyzed thinking about how much work or errands you need to do? Instead of letting your to-do list ruminate in your mind, write everything that you need to do on a piece of paper. Sometimes, having a visual of all your tasks can help declutter your mind and reduce stress. Make sure to categorize each of your tasks by priority. Understanding which of your tasks are the least to most important can help alleviate stress and clear your thought process, which in turn will help you get your tasks done.

Talk to a friend or loved one

There’s a reason why talking to a trusted friend or loved one about your problems feels so good: It’s an effective way to relieve a cluttered mind. Social interaction can provide a distraction from your thoughts, relieve stress, and give you the support you need to feel refreshed.⁵ The next time your mind feels cluttered, reach out to a loved one.

Exercise

Exercising isn’t just good for your body—it’s also good for your mind. Getting physical activity is an excellent stress reliever. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins and other chemicals that improve your mood. Physical activity can also move your focus onto your body’s movements, which is excellent for decluttering your mind.⁵ You don’t have to hit the gym to reap these benefits. Simply staying active through walking, gardening, or cleaning can help you clear your thoughts.

Declutter your space

Studies show that an unorganized environment can affect your mental health and impact your ability to finish projects. Taking the time to clean up your home or workspace is a great way to declutter your mind. Decluttering your physical space can boost your mood, improve your focus, alleviate anxiety, and give you energy.⁶ By decluttering your physical space, you’ll have the energy and focus to declutter your mind.

Making the effort to declutter your mind will help you think more clearly and alleviate stress. The next time you’re in an overwhelming situation, you’ll be able to clear your mind and make the most of it.

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