Our discussion topic this week is how do we declutter our minds??? I found a good article about this on Zenhabits. In the article, they list 15 different ways to declutter our minds. Check out the entire article
HERE.
I decided to do this one so that ALL of you could help me with this... My mind goes about a million miles a minute ---and sometimes, I just need to slow down and get back in control.. One thing which I have always prided myself in is the ability to multi-task... I have always been able to do several things at one time --and manage them all. However, as I've gotten OLDER (yipes), that is becoming a little harder for me! SO---when I read in the article saying that one way of decluttering the mind is to "Single-Task" ----that really hit home!!!!! Doing one thing at a time???? Goodness... That is so hard for me!!!!
Another way the article says to declutter the mind is to declutter our surroundings. I am not a pack-rat ---but our computer room does get messy!!! In January, I spent several days cleaning out junk and throwing away or refiling things (so that I can find them)... That felt good ---but was it enough??????
Another thing which I need to do (according to the article) is to watch LESS TV. Our TV is on almost all day/all evening---whether we are watching it or not... Recently, I have been so upset at what is going on in the world and in our country... These are things which I can do nothing about ---so I NEED to turn off the TV and do more praying for the world and our country instead.
Some of the other things mentioned in this article are: taking a walk and getting out in nature; keeping a journal; exercising; healthy eating; rethinking our sleeping habits; prioritize our list of things to do--and just do the essential ones; quit worrying about things; talk to someone about what is on our mind; and most of all---SLOW DOWN. Definitely stop and smell the roses!!!
My questions to you are:
1. What do you do to declutter your mind?
2. What do you NEED to do that you aren't doing now???
Have fun with this one... I certainly did!!!! Have a great weekend and I will see you on Monday. (By the way, no storms for us last night... Just wind and rain!!!)
Hugs,
P.S. ALL photos and illustrations came from the internet.
66 comments:
This is very good!
Yes, I definitely take long walks and stop and smell the roses as I go along! It is so very important. And to sleep well and never have the TV going all day long as "background." Our brains don't need the clutter (I say this but must admit that I do enjoy watching TV - there is nothing so nice as a great movie for relaxation!)And not to worry. This is a hard one but God knew what he was doing (of course!) when he instructed us against it! To depend on Him is the absolutely best way to get rid of clutter. Give it to God and see what great things can be accomplished through such a move (Or at the very least, make the lives of those living with us much more pleasant)!
Now... I must only remember to do all this each and every day... :)
Thanks Betsy from Tennessee!!
Thanks for the reminder!
Blessings!
Ann
Hmmm,I find that my mind is also racing much of the time,especially the last few months.One way to declutter,for me is to get out in nature and lose myself in my photography.Now this is much easier for me in spring or summer.Another good remedy is to work at the computer.When I'm trying to learn the ins and outs of Photoshop,I need to be focused only on that.Of course the best way is to spend time with my God and Father,I come away from this feeing refreshed and renewed.
Boy,you have a way of getting me thinking.Thanks.
Ruth
Those are some good pointers Betsy! I usually take a nice long hot bath to declutter my mind. Or sometimes listening to some music and singing along helps me to relax and destress as well.
Hope you have a terrific weekend Betsy!
xo Catherine
I was reading a blog yesterday and someone was talking about how she felt about everything that is going on in the world...she said that she wanted to crawl under the bed with a box of Twinkies...sounded pretty good to me. Like you, I think I need to turn the news off...I keep the radio on most of the day...to talk radio and then tv for the late afternoon and evening. I've got to step away from all of that reality...way too much for me to comprehend. I'm going to start a water aerobics class...just as soon as I get that whole waterboarding thing from going around in my head.
Have a beautiful weekend!!!
I grab a book and escape when I have reached the breaking point. I will devour a book or two and feel a bit better after that. Walking is something I NEED to do, so off to the treadmill I go since it snowed at least three inches here last night. :-P Hope you didn't have nasty storms last night!
I'm a multi tasker too. My hubby is a one thing at a time man. Together we can tackle projects remembering our strengths. My problem was getting to sleep at night with so much rattling around in my brain. That's why I make lists. So my mind doesn't have to remember that task the next day or whenever. It has helped a lot. Have a great clutter free weekend!
I laughed when reading this morning because you and I are SOOO much alike. Our heads spin out because we are just too busy. How do I declutter? Like you, the tv is on too much so I have been switching it to the music channels and ' no news is good news' to me. There is no way to get completely out of that loop with 'news' all around us, but not being glued to it, is a stress reliever. A good back rub and lately my tight neck has been getting a lot of attention still with that pinched nerve or something for the past couple of months. My son, Andy, gives the best therapy rubs. A hot soak in the tub, low light,epsom salts work wonders. Walking outside, digging in the gardens, weather providing, reading, ice cream and hot coffee.
The list goes on and on. Getting to the last corner is always a huge plus but so far, has never happened. Maybe when Andy and family finally get their house. That will be a huge relief.
Well, sista, hope you have a stress-free day and that the bad weather went around your area. I have to get going, more therapy on my neck and tootsies.
BlessYourHearts
I don't think I'll ever declutter my mind. I'd be afraid I'd throw out something I might need someday!
i do all the things you listed in the last paragraph, except for the journal, i have tried that many times and it last about 3 times or less. right now i have cluttered to much and i need to add somethings. I do the same thing every day, email, blog, read and TV. i do go out 5 times a day in the back yard, and i do go to gym 5 times a week, but other than that i do not much. one thing you mentioned that i have a problem with is i can no longer multi task, if I do i mess up and do something wrong or don't do it. my job i retired from required much multi tasking and i was good at it, now i can't even talk while I cook or something is bound to happen. i like the single task thing and our TV runs if we are awake. i need to turn it off. good idea and thanks for making me think
I don't like the TV and by reading the article, shouldn't have a cluttered mind but I can't stop the wheels from spinning constantly. Mostly about mother.
I find that knitting helps, as long as it's a difficult pattern, then I can't think about anything else!
Interesting post today, Betsy. I think I have a very simplistic order in my life. I learned long ago not to worry about things that I have no control over. I am not a TV person so it is off most of the day and I love to be outside or else reading a book inside. I make cards which I like to do---I guess that in retirement I try to just do what I may want to do. Things I have to do well that's just a given.
Declutter my house is what I have to do and I have been doing just that and the Goodwill is getting a windfall. LOL MB
Great Question Today...Journal! I journal every single day. This is my place to go and believe me, I declutter my mind. I have at least 25 journals and I sometimes laugh at myself when I think about my kids reading them someday. They are going to realize to the fullest extent how witty and crazy their mom was. Even at my age, I feel that it is ok to be a kid at heart sometimes. Hold on to your seat....YES, I go to the park and swing! I love to swing and so do my grandchildren, so why not?..Swinging has a way of letting your mind go free! And then, there is always my time alone with our Heavenly Father...LOVE THIS TIME!
I always look forward to your question of the week!
Good Job Betsy
Have a wonderful weekend!
Shug
Single tasking is hard for me too Betsy!!!!
Definitely decluttering my surroundings is key for me...I can't focus on ANYTHING when there is stuff all around me.
I usually only put on the tv when I or the family has time to sit down and enjoy a show...I keep music on ALL day though...it is so much better for me. (I listen to a channel on my direct tv-no commercials or ads)
Have a great weekend.
Click that button and turn off the tube. I laughed passing a farm yesterday and getting out to shoot some pics and they had the radio going in an old barn. It made me think of, The Skillet Licking Boys and their song ,Turn Your Radio On.Put some music on and get some cultural relaxation. I write and it releses all. Make a journal and write 5 good things from your day, nothing else and keep it one line and simple.Go outside and listen to nature and get some excercise. a feeble excuse is it is bad weather, that's why we have so many kinds of coats.
Excellent post!! I don't watch the news anymore. I get out into nature ALOT! I keep lists. I listen to audio books, even when I go to bed at night. Keeps away that brain chatter!! ~karen
I could write a book on this one...but won't. The thing I cannot put down/turn off and is hard for me to do without is the internet...there is always something here pulling me in.
It keeps me from doing things I should be doing...while at the same time there are things I need to do on here but can't remember what they are.
Hi Betsy, Like you, I was thrilled not to have any severe weather or damage last night. Just lots of wind for about 3 min. plus moderate rain. The rest of the time, we had light rains here. De-cluttering my mind is not hard for me most of the time. I simply think of the calm, vivid, clear turquoise ocean, as would be in a cove or lagoon in a tropical place. this does the trick every time. That said, have an excellent day!
Interesting question! And I love the cartoon with the washer and dryer at the desk!
I declutter my mind by decluttering the spaces around me. That works best for me. I also excercise a lot, which also helps clear out those cobwebs.
And what should I being doing more of -- probably embracing each minute I have on this earth!
When there are a lot of things going on; and my mind is busy because I don't want to forget to do what is necessary, it is usually necessary to prioritize what is really important, and prayer can help with that. Then making a list helps me a lot. It is a visual reminder of what needs to be done, but also lets my mind rest because I don't constantly need to remind myself so I won't forget....
After a death of someone close, my mind tends to really be cluttered and works overtime. At those times spending time with God, reading, doing things to distract myself from the reoccuring thoughts seems to help; although in order to come through grief, some of those things need to be thought or talked through. This may not answer any questions, but having a good listener helps. Most of the time you don't need answers from anyone, you just need to verbalize your thoughts, so you can move on.
Having hobbies that really engage my mind and my thinking, or learning something new, also helps to overcome reoccuring thoughts that I really don't need to think about anymore.
The downside is sometimes I get so involved in my distractions that I forget what I should be doing.....I think I'll just attribute that to "age."
Great post, Betsy! One thing I must do is declutter!! I have too many gadgets etc. that I really don't use much anymore and need to donate. I also have either talk radio or tv on too much, but it is still so quiet at my house that I need 'noise'. I do love to take pictures and have lots of them to be sorted. I MUST make lists or I am lost! I have started to Spring house clean, but as this pace, I won't be done until Fall!
Have a super weekend!
Blessings!
CottonLady
My walks with Rascal, even better for me than him. He's a perfect partner, too. Another thing is my art room, organizing things (which I can ALWAYS do) helps me feel more calm and in control. Now and then it works to just have a complete blubbering fit too!!
I can so relate to the photo of "I have too much stuff." Why I accumulated much of it is now beyond my understanding. Why I keep it is another matter altogether. Sometimes I think a small bulldozer would be a good idea!
I have trimmed way, way back on my TV watching (I look at a computer monitor instead... change one (bad?)habit for another.) I faithfully watch one 30-minute TV program each evening (Last of the Summer Wine)and that's about it.
Great post, Betsy! I do a lot of reading, whether it be books or blogs, to help declutter and destress. I need to declutter my house because I am a pack rat and am trying to change my way of thinking and keep only that which I use, love and enjoy. I need to learn also to keep my thoughts on those same things! I tend to worry way too much and what good does that do? I'll be back to read what others are saying when I have more time. Have a good weekend!
What an interesting question! In recent years I’ve learned to slow down my mind, especially about things over which I have no control anyhow. I’m definitely someone who is high energy, has many irons in the fire, and then pulls each one out in priority and sequence to give it my best attention and focus. Most of us are multi-skilled but multi-tasking just can’t really be done. We THINK we can do multiple tasks simultaneously when in fact they are best done sequentially. Flitting back and forth between three or six tasks reminds me of meal preparation – turn this element up, turn the other one down, peel one thing, then wash the other, stir the first pot, clean up in between, and so on and so on! You’d best be focused and be able to rapidly shift focus if you don’t want an accident, but you cannot multi-task all at the same time. I think all kinds of people are needed – those who can rapidly shift focus, while already thinking of the next step and those who concentrate exclusively on the task at hand and shut every other thought out. Different tasks require different approaches!
I love my silence, don’t need background noise throughout the day. I declutter the noise in my mind by giving it to the Lord. I sleep well and am able to shut my thoughts off the moment my head hits the pillow. Love going for a walk or being out in nature! Enjoy spending time playing with the grands as I enjoy being a child at heart and delighting in my surroundings. That is so refreshing for my mind as I’m totally focused on them. I do make lists of things and projects to look after – so those thoughts don’t need to float around. My surroundings are orderly as for me physical clutter conceives mental clutter. If something upsets me and I find my thoughts racing, I journal on my laptop; that takes the sting out because I can verbalize my thoughts! I especially love a good talk with one of my girls and they’ll help by putting a different perspective on it.
Have a great week-end you two!!
Take time out for yourself, often declutters a mind.
Betsy the blog says that you posted this at 4am today. Are you really up that early on the blog? You are so right about our lives getting bogged down with stuff that isn't important. I am a list maker. If I want the feeling of accomplishment it is a marked off list. I do watch way too much TV but I'll make the excuse that I live alone and that is my only company other than Buddy of course. I talk to my dog by the way. When I unload on him he just looks like he wants to make me feel better and I do. Sounds funny but it's true. Hope you have a great weekend and 'single-task'.
I'm glad to hear that you didn't see any tornadoes! I think reading helps me to declutter my mind. I know if I read before going to bed, I sleep better. Romance books are the best reads for me when I want to relax my mind.
Betsy, I used to have TV on all the time when I was home too, but now I hardly ever have it on at all. The peace and quiet does wonders for me. Walking and getting out in nature is another way to help me slow things down in my head. Hope you have a nice, relaxing weekend. :)
Well now...T.V is not a big priority around here....we read, a lot! Children too. We go outside everyday, sit on the porch and just look...we go to bed very early and wake very early....BUT...I do make a list everynight of the things I must do the next day......and my mind still goes 110 MPH...
Great post Betsy! I'm a multi-tasker too and sometimes have way too many things on my plate....I need to change the un-necesssary things that I have on my plate;) Choose my battles so too speak.
A great question!! I did look at that website and they had good suggestions. I am the opposite of you in this way! I can't boil water and talk at the same time!!! If I try to talk while I'm cooking, I ruin it! I have a one track mind, and am very fixated on the thing I am doing at the moment. Nevertheless, at times when lots is going on, my mind will spin, having lots of things at once or having to hurry really stresses me out and I pretty much shut down. I try to just be still, and take a few deep breaths. Also a little prayer for stillness and peace.
Oh yeah! I have too much to do to take the time and think about this... See?
great post Betsy!
Hi my friend. I wanted to stop by and wish you a wonderful week-end....hugs...m...
I think that sleep (and I sleep soundly each night for about 7 1/2 hours most nights) declutters my mind. I do need to do a good job of decluttering my surroundings. I'm always thinking about going through books and magazines to drop off at the library. It seems that once one area is decluttered and put right, another suffers.
Have a great weekend.
Best,
Bonnie
Lots of things to think about in this post Betsy. I have always been a multi-tasker and I'm really good at it too. I'm not sure if I could, or even want to, ever single task. My Type A personality gets really stressed when I have nothing to do. Today besides the usual laundry, cleaning I have done a little club work and I'm also working on trapping some cats for a spay/neuter event tomorrow. I have one in a trap and will get another one later this afternoon.
I never have the tv on in the daytime but sometimes music (rock music is relaxing to me). When I really want to slow down I go for a long walk in the park with my camera. I smell every rose just before taking its photo. Blogging is somewhat relaxing. When spring gets here working in my yard is the most relaxing thing I can do, I really go to single tasks at that point.
What do I NEED to do? Besides trapping one more feral cat I have a couple of reviews I need to write for my blog but I'll save those for this weekend.
Glad to hear the storms passed you by. Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Judy
It is so hard to keep paper decluttered ... mail etc.
If I wake in the early morning (3 a.m.) and can't sleep because my mind is in super drive ... I get up and read or do a Sudoku until my eyes are tired and bingo.
I can't multi-task anymore ... haven't been able to do so for a few years now ... and I'm YOUNGER than you.
No T.V. here and most times, no music either. I really like it quiet. Sometimes, when I drive down to Vancouver I put a CD in to help keep me alert.
Have a great weekend yourself.
Mine is good old hard, manuel labor as in cleaning the house, working in the yard, painting/redecorating a room anything that can be done without thought. Best way for me to clean out the old mind. Well that and blogging ;o)
1. Blog - Writing it down helps me to sort thru the hows and whys, deciding if it is important or not.
2. Hiking alone - Listening to nothing but the sounds of nature mingled with the crunch of my boots.
3. Being near the water - Whether it is the beach, a lake, a river, a pool, a fountain, a creek, etc, water is calming.
Wow ! What a topic for thought.
I love to take long walks and only talking to God on these gives my mind a rest but to declutter,hummmm, I'm afraid I would feel like I do when I declutter anything else. I don't throw much away in fear that I might need that someday.
I'm a major multi-tasker and find making to-do list each day helps my concentrate on each task until it's done.
Have a blessed weekend
Marilyn
TV - we must reduce as it shun down your creative mind
In the winter - I read. In the summer - I garden. And I should be studying :-(
De-clutter!!!!!! Way too much for me at this time. I do try to clean out but it's hard at this time.
I garden when I can. I like being outside. My mind relaxes when I garden, regardless of what kind of gardening I'm doing.
I like to make lists and cross off the things I've accomplished. This helps to keep me on track, whether I'm doing one thing at once, or more than one.
Of course, I love nature, and getting outside with my hubby and animals always calms my spirit.
I really need to work on decluttering my surroundings. I could do a lot better there!
I'm a pretty darned cluttered person, so I guess I'm probably the wrong person to be discussing this topic.
However, I do just stop from time to time and step away from the computer or the internet or the tv and just do something frivolous like watch the birds or write or brush my teeth...
And then I go back to my cluttered life.
; )
I'll bet you are still good enough at multitasking that you are able to do your job and still tell George what to do. :) :) We let stuff just pile up (telling myself that I'll go through it later) until it's a mess and we have to go through it. For about the last month I stop at the paper recycling bin after I get our mail and eliminate a lot of it before it ever enters the house.
Your mind is cluttered, too? I feel like I'm in good company! Sometimes I think it's just me.
I am working on de-cluttering my surroundings. It's a slow process.........
Very good Betsy, one way I declutter my mind is to read the Bible, I find when reading it I tend to pay more attention than if I just read a book, I have learned to slow down through the years, I used to be very good at multi tasking, not so much any more, so I take one day at a time, and do what I can, what I cannot get done, there is tomorrow, if not some one else can finish it, lol
Hugs my friend, Barbara
my mind de-clutters best with a healthy hour of sweat at the gym.
i should be...like you, watching less news!
This is a wow question Betsy!
To really declutter my mind I think I'd have to sleep and then those dreams pop in and make me wonder when I wake up what they were all about! :)
Sometimes I think the opposite is true and TV helps calm. Getting lost in a good drama takes my mind away from other worldly worries. That or a good book.
Decluttering my space is something else. My computer room is also my craft room at the moment it needs overhauled! It will happen in warmer weather when I can open the windows and doors and sort through 'stuff'.
Have a wonderful decluttered weekend!
Great! :))
Have a nice weekend Betsy!
Great post, Betsy---I really enjoy your feedback Fridays. I do think you're right about the T.V. Tom likes to watch it more than I do, so on weekends, it's on quite a lot. And I've noticed that I feel more tense and a little grumpy with all the noise.
My two favorite things to do to quiet my unquiet mind are to: take a long hike in my beloved mountains and (2) to sit on our front porch and swing or rock--back and forth---and gaze up into the big sky or out at the distant Blue Ridge mountains. Or maybe just watch the robins hophophop. :-)
Decluttering my mind is sometimes difficult - especially when problems come in deluge. Any activity that gets my thinking in a different gear helps - reading a book or magazine, talking about my stress to someone I trust, working outside, writing/photography, or just being still in prayer or meditation. And of course, asking God to help me balance my thoughts and life is key.
I'm finding it almost impossible to multitask any more! And it feels weird, especially when I watch my daughter in action, hauling 2 children around and doing all the other things at the same time. She makes me tired!
Declutter the mind? Take a walk, meditate, journal. And yes, less TV.
I go for a walk. When nature surrounds me I feel totally at peace. When the weather isn't co-operating I look outside at the backyard wildlife and they as they visit my feeders, there's that feeling of peace again.
This is a good topic. I've been thinking about it hoping to come up with something just ever so impressive but it hasn't happened yet. Mind Clutter happens so much of the time, there is always so much to be done. Sometimes I just go outside and get some sun or drive around for a bit. Having a tidy environment also works wonders for me but it has been difficult to accomplish lately since we moved. That's what I have to work on. Sometimes I sit down and just breathe deeply or do some crochet...at least needlework will usually stay done.
And P S ...just for your information...reading favorite blogs is calming and inspirational as well. That might be the best medicine of all. Thank you for being a favorite. ^.^)
Great topic.
I like some quiet time with the tv off....but it isn't off at my house nearly enough. If my husband comes in and the tv is off, his first statement is, "why is the tv off?" ha He doesn't like silence. I like to read after he is in bed...the silence is great and I really enjoy my book!
You know I kinda hate to admit it, but I've been busy the last few days and haven't had time to sit at the computer and I think I felt free!
An excellent post!! I'm with you on the TV. Personally, I'd remove it from the house, but I have 3 others here who love it. They walk in and turn it on and are glued to it, sometimes watching something they have already seen. Mind clutter I'm pretty good with, however it's the house clutter I'm working on. Your photo of the "I have too much stuff" hit home!! Spring cleaning is needed!
Our television isn't on unless it is football season. Otherwise it is often off until 8 in the evening.
I use meditation with relaxation cds and prayer. GREAT post, Betsy!! So many good points & useful ideas.
Have a Great new week!!
Hugs,
Coreen xoxo
Betsy - I think you are on the right track w/ the decluttering - especially the nature and journal part. I find so much peace in nature and it gives me inspiration to live more simply. This year I started a journal of when we visit the cabin and I find it makes me slow down and enjoy things more. (But I do have a couple kitchen cupboards that need major decluttering - maybe next weekend - ha!) how's your weather there?
Hugs,
Shelley
Hi Betsy, I admit that keeping my surroundings neat helps me to feel better and I have cut down clutter considerably while preparing to move. I hope to keep a promise to myself to try to walk each day and enjoy the outdoors. I need to just get away and enjoy nature and try to exercise more!
Some spot on suggestions here. I already do quite a lot of them but I still have a cluttered mind. My memory is not the best and that annoys me no end.I have learnt a few tricks for helping remember things too. Presence of mind and talking to your self like, "I have shut the garage door,"
Excellent post, Betsy. I have learnt to Single-task after years of multi-tasking. Life is SOOO calm now! I enjoy the outdoors and regularly smell the flowers, watch the birds (or monkeys or the cat!) and can sit easily sit and meditate for ages without getting bored. One thing I found since coming to the camp, every household has the TV going all the time. Grant watches sport (now that we have telly in the house again) and now and again we watch a forty minute quiz program. (We say it's to keep the old brain cells going!) Yes, less TV or hard work makes more time to pray for the world and victims of disasters. Thanks again for this beautiful post. Blessings Jo
Excellent post, Betsy. I have learnt to Single-task after years of multi-tasking. Life is SOOO calm now! I enjoy the outdoors and regularly smell the flowers, watch the birds (or monkeys or the cat!) and can sit easily sit and meditate for ages without getting bored. One thing I found since coming to the camp, every household has the TV going all the time. Grant watches sport (now that we have telly in the house again) and now and again we watch a forty minute quiz program. (We say it's to keep the old brain cells going!) Yes, less TV or hard work makes more time to pray for the world and victims of disasters. Thanks again for this beautiful post. Blessings Jo
I don't think I'd want to totally declutter my mind (what little I have left!). I may discard something I need!
One thing I try to do is always think positive, then the clutter never seems so bad.
☼ Sunny
hi auntie...
it's very nice blog...
God Bless.. ^^
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