Declutter Your Home & Your Mind

It's Saturday afternoon and I am EXHAUSTED! Typically when I am feeling so drained it is either because I have stayed up all night with one of my kid's ailments or I couldn't sleep because I needed to get a great idea I didn't want to lose down on paper. But today, neither is the case. The source of my unrest comes from clutter. Clutter translates into chaos and I simply can not function in chaos. It completely wipes me out.

I am looking at a stack of mail that I either opened and tossed on my desk to look over later or that is unopened junk that I neglected to file in the circular bin. This is an old bad habit that I have been struggling with. All things should have their proper place and be put in them as soon as possible. Junk mail should be immediately trashed and whatever I wish to save should either go in my reading bin or be filed away in its designated location for future use. Furthermore, I did my laundry twice this past week but did not complete the task of folding and putting away my clothing. My home is in disarray. My home is in a state of incompletion.

Incompletion leads to unrest. It is dissettling to allow clutter to build up. It literally sucks the energy out of you and halts progress. A clean home is more inviting. The more comfortable you are in your own hoome, the more at ease you are to get the proper rest.

So what do I do now? I have recognized the source of my fatigue which is the most important part but also the easiest. To tackle the situation, first I will allow myself to take a short nap, no longer than an hour. Studies have shown that a midday rest, or siesta as some of my South American friends refer to it as, can drastically boost the energy levels and increase overall mental and physical health if practiced routinely. When I awake, I will perform a simple meditation along with a few stretching exercises to help bring my mind and body back in balance. Finally, I will tackle this mess. I will start in one room and gradually work my way through my home until it is 100% clean. Once I have completed this task I will have achieved balance in my home. This will remove the stress that feeling so tired has put on my mind and body as well as allow me to be more productive going forward.

If you are feeling exhausted or a bit off your center, perhaps this feeling has its roots in the midst of chaos. Declutter your home and mind by following these simple guidelines:

1. Rec0gnize that you are feeling this way. If you do not take the responsibility for your well-being, who will? Don't just overlook these feelings. Neglecting your emotions and physical reactions is not the answer. You will only become more drained by the energy it takes to fight it.
2. Forgive yourself and tackle the feeling. If you are tired, rest. If you are depressed, talk to someobody or pray. Pay attention to your mind and body and give them what they need to be refocused.
3. Remove the source of chaos. Most negative feelings are directly caused by some sort of incompletion. Find what is not complete (clutter, a conversation that ended in anger, etc.) and complete it. You may need to do this in several steps or repeat the process several times before completion is attained but you must restore it.
4. Set up a routine and make a conscious effort to keep balance in your life. You must continue working at this on a daily basis until it becomes habit.

So whether you are fatigued, depressed or just having an off day, remember to take the time to examine yourself and give your body what it needs to feel back in balance. As an additional tip, if the source is clutter, I advise you to always start in your bedroom first. This is your castle and should be kept up as such. How can you enjoy your rest when your bed is covered in laundry?

Well I'm off to fold some towels so I can take a nice long siesta.

Happy Living!