Simple Ways To Declutter Your Brain For Better Focus

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Declutter your brain first. In my years of helping people declutter their homes and lives, I’ve come to understand a truth many overlook - clutter isn’t just about the stuff around you—it’s deeply connected to the clutter in your mind.

Effective Ways To Declutter Your Brain

Everything begins as a thought, and when your mind is overwhelmed, it affects many aspect of your life. This is what mental clutter is. Not being able to focus is at best frustrating. I have learned great workarounds to calm my mind.

There are different ways to get centered, you will have to find what works best for you by trying a few techniques.

I used to resent the time I had to spend getting to a place where I could clear my mind and focus on one thing at a time. When I realized this was the magic I had been looking for my attitude changed. I began to be grateful these tools were available to me.

This realization led me to adopt a holistic approach to decluttering, one that starts with the brain. Decluttering your brain is not just a smart first step—it’s the foundation for living a more organized, peaceful, and productive life.

Information overload is a real thing today. The Social Media algorithms are very good at distracting you and robbing you of precious time.

When I have too much stuff on my mind 5 minutes after I wake up I know it is time to do a brain dump before I start my day.

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The Connection Between Mental and Physical Clutter

Imagine this: You walk into a room that’s filled with piles of papers, random objects strewn about, and no clear order. How do you feel? Anxious? Overwhelmed? Distracted? Now, consider your mind as that cluttered room.

When your thoughts are scattered it causes many people to feel overwhelmed, it’s almost impossible to focus, make decisions, or feel at peace.

This mental clutter can seep into your physical environment, creating a vicious cycle where the mess around you perpetuates the chaos within your mind.

Everything begins as a thought. Whether it's deciding to organize your closet, planning your day, or even how you react to a stressful situation—your thoughts shape your reality.

If your mind is cluttered, your ability to think clearly, prioritize tasks, and maintain order in your physical space diminishes.

This is often the cause of procrastination, feeling stuck, or being unable to move forward in your decluttering efforts because your brain is too overwhelmed to make decisions.

How Mental Clutter Affects Your Life

Mental clutter doesn’t just stay in your head—it spills over into every area of your life. The best strategy is to know this, accept this, and take the time to work on great mental health first.

Productivity

A cluttered brain struggles to focus, leading to decreased productivity. You might start tasks and never finish them or forget important responsibilities altogether. The mental fog makes it hard to be efficient, leaving you with half-completed projects and a constant feeling of being behind.

Decision-Making

Cluttered thoughts make it difficult to make clear decisions. When your brain is overwhelmed, even simple choices can feel paralyzing. This indecision can keep you stuck, preventing you from taking action, whether it’s in decluttering your home, managing your schedule, or making important life choices. I call this analysis paralysis.

Stress and Anxiety

Mental clutter contributes to higher stress levels and anxiety. When your mind is full of unfinished tasks, worries, and random thoughts, it’s like carrying a heavy load all day. This constant mental burden affects your mood, energy levels, and overall well-being.

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Relationships

A cluttered mind can strain relationships. When you’re mentally preoccupied, it’s harder to be present and fully engage with the people around you. You may find yourself easily irritated or too distracted to nurture your connections, leading to misunderstandings and distance.

Physical Health

Your mind and body are deeply connected. Mental clutter can manifest physically as tension, headaches, or fatigue. Chronic stress from a cluttered mind weakens your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness. I am living proof of this.

Declutter Your Brain The First Step to Mental Clarity

Recognizing the impact of mental clutter is the first step toward a more organized and peaceful life. The next step is to know there is a great way to boost your mental energy and go of negative thoughts.

Here are some of the best things you can do to calm your brain and focus better. Any of these practices can be of great benefit to you.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness helps you become aware of your thoughts without getting caught up in them. Regular mindfulness practices, like meditation or deep breathing, can help clear mental clutter by grounding you in the present moment.

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Write It Down

One of the simplest ways to declutter your mind is to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper. Whether it’s a to-do list, journaling, or a brain dump for your worries and ideas, writing things down helps you organize your thoughts and make space in your brain.

Writing is the most powerful tool I have found. Julia Cameron wrote the best-seller book 'The Artist Way' and started the practice of writing morning pages. If this was not an effective strategy I doubt Julia would have become a best-selling author

I teach Artist Way classes. Writing morning pages is the practice students resist the most. When students finally stop resisting the simple practice of writing their morning pages, they see what an effective way this is to start the day.

Some healthy practices to Declutter your brain

Pick up a pen and paper- or keyboard - and start writing, you will find the magic. Did you know it's the things you resist the most are the things you should address first? By the way, you don't have to be an artist to benefit from writing or the Artist Way.

Prioritize

Not all thoughts or tasks are created equal. Learn to prioritize what’s important and let go of what isn’t. By focusing on what truly matters, you can reduce mental clutter and direct your energy where it counts.

Journaling or writing

I wrote an article about journaling and stream of consciousness writing called Powerful Tool Of Daily Journaling To Gain Clarity

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Simplify Your Environment

Decluttering your physical space can also help declutter your mind. Start with small areas, like your desk or a single drawer, and notice how a tidy environment makes you feel more at ease and focused.

Set Boundaries

Mental clutter often comes from overcommitting or allowing too many distractions into your life. Set boundaries with your time and energy, and learn to say no to what doesn’t serve your priorities.

Practice Gratitude

Gratitude shifts your focus from what’s overwhelming you to what’s going well. A regular gratitude practice can help calm a cluttered mind and bring more positivity into your life. Start a gratitude journal.

Regular Breaks

Taking regular breaks during the work day is a great strategy too. Some people love using the Pomodoro Method of getting stuff done. I wrote about this technique in an article How To Stop Procrastinating Decluttering Your Home.

Important Tasks

I always try to do the most important tasks first, especially if it is a thing I dread doing. It feels good to get it done and off the list.

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Deep Breathing Exercises

You would be amazed at how effective it is to take a few deep breaths in and out. Classroom teachers are adapting this habit. There are many different breathing exercises to choose from. Like everything, experiment and find the best method for you.

The important thing to keep in mind is to take small steps, don't try to perfectly incorporate all these methods at once. A good way is to take small steps. Master one practice at a time and if you want to experience more calm add another practice.

Declutter Your Brain and Transform Your Life

Decluttering your brain is the key to transforming your entire life. Why wouldn't you do everything you can to ensure you have good days?

When your mind is clear, you have the mental space to focus on what matters, make better decisions, and create a more organized and peaceful environment.

Remember, everything begins as a thought. By decluttering your brain, you set the stage for a clutter-free, fulfilling life.

Photo byMarj Bates

If you’re ready to take control of your mental clutter and see the profound impact it can have on your world, start today. Declutter your brain, and watch as everything else begins to fall into place.

In my years of helping people declutter their homes and lives, I’ve come to understand a truth many overlook: physical clutter isn’t just about the stuff around you—it’s connected to the clutter in your mind.

Everything begins as a thought. Having an overwhelmed mind can affect every aspect of your life. This realization led me to adopt a holistic approach to decluttering, one that starts with the brain. Decluttering your brain is not just a smart first step—it’s the foundation for living a more organized, peaceful, and productive life.

If you’re ready to take control of your mental clutter and see the profound impact it can have on your world, start today. Declutter your brain, and watch as everything else begins to fall into place.

Marj Bates is a life long ridiculously organized declutter-er and artist. Less is more are words Marj lives by in everything she does except collecting dogs. “Dogs are like potato chips! Can’t have just one.” says Marj. Marj wonders if growing up with a fanatically clean Jewish mom means her decluttering and organizational skills are in her blood.

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