Improve Your Focus With Mental Decluttering

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You have tried repeatedly to declutter with little success. Your mind is all over the place making focusing a challenge in itself. It would be brutal for me to try to accomplish anything with a squirrelly head. Improve your focus before you begin to declutter! I call this mental decluttering.

I remember the days before instant gratification was a thing and peace was a relatively easy feeling to achieve. Today though I feel like I spend a lot of time ducking from the onslaught of information thrown my way. Many days I feel like I have traded peace for technology.

For example, as few a half dozen years ago I made and sold stuff as an artist. Most of my day was spent melting glass. The only technology I was the least bit interested to learn stemmed from building and maintaining on line stores and websites.

News, politics and information did not invade my serenity. I had what we call a balance to life. So much of this has changed and it changed in an insidious way. It is hard to pinpoint the day I realized this although I have my suspicions.

I intuitively knew something had to change if I was ever going to have another creative thought or moments of peace These are very important criteria for a self-supporting artist. I suspect the same is true whatever your day job is.

Mental Decluttering Needed When Negativity Sabotage Focus

How can you be peaceful when every day, we’re bombarded with thoughts, worries, and emotions that clutter our minds? This mental clutter can sneak up on you, creating stress, diminishing your focus, and leaving you feeling overwhelmed.

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You've got the power to overcome these mental blocks, and the journey to a clearer mind starts with recognizing these barriers and fears. Read on before you make up your mind this is bunk.

What is Mental Clutter?

Mental clutter is the emotional and cognitive overload that invades our mental space. Just like physical clutter — those piles of papers and stacks of books that crowd your desk — mental clutter consists of excessive thoughts, worries, and distractions that occupy your mind.

Mental clutter can slow your thinking, sap your energy, and create a fog that makes it hard to focus on the things that matter most.

But what causes this mental chaos? It often stems from overthinking, stress, and an overwhelming amount of decisions and information to process. Recognizing how mental clutter manifests in your thoughts and emotions is your first step to eliminating it.

Common Fears Associated with Decluttering

Mental decluttering isn't just about tidying up your mind—a variety of fears can make it tricky. Understanding these fears is essential for identifying the obstacles in your path to whatever your goals are. A decluttered mind is needed as the first line of defense in today’s fast-paced world.

FOMO

Fear of missing out (FOMO) is some of what drives mindless and time-consuming scrolling online. It is very easy to fall down rabbit holes, the algorithms make sure of this.

Fear of Regret

Fear of regret often keeps you dwelling on past decisions and "what ifs." This kind of thinking creates a loop of mental clutter that’s tough to break.

When my head is cluttered I picture a gerbil cage in my head with a gerbil running round and around the wheel in the cage. It is pretty hard to focus on any particular task with this active (cute!) gerbil running the show!

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Avoid getting trapped by fear. Fear just weighs you down and wears you out. Let go of the things you have no control over. The past is one of those things.

Action Step: Start by writing these thoughts down. Confronting them head-on, you'll find they lose their grip over you. Make intentional decisions if you want less stress.

You don't have to be a writer to write stream-of-consciousness thoughts on paper. I go over this simple process in Powerful Tool Of Daily Journaling To Gain Clarity.

Fear of Loss

When I am fearful it is either because I fear not getting what I want or I am afraid of losing what I already have. It always boils down to those two things and often masquerades as something else. You have to keep peeling the onion to get to your truth and this is where writing is magical!

It is only because I have been working on this stuff for years and years I am able to discern what my stressors are quickly these days. When you write you begin to see patterns. When you learn what your triggers are you are able to deal with them better and faster.

For example, my beloved dog who has been loyally by my side for 12 years is dying an icky form of cancer now. When I get cranky or want to explode because the car in front of me just cut me off or I am on a ridiculous customer service call it feels like those things are the cause of my irritability.

It is not though. As annoying as these things are to me what is making me angry is losing Simon, my soul mate and best dog in the whole world. This is what writing has taught me. Things are not always what they seem.

Action Step: Find out what your stressors are, and do some digging because things are not always as they seem. Sometimes your knee-jerk reaction to what seems like your reason for irritability may cause you more grief than the stressor.

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Fear of Overwhelm 

The mental decluttering process itself may seem challenging to you. Maybe you are thinking you have no time to write, meditate or practice any number of mindfulness techniques. Some folks are sure these things won't work for them. When I began these practices 25 years ago I resisted. A lot.

Then I learned it is the things I resist the most are the things I should do first. When my back was against the wall I started to follow the directions. This was one of the smartest things I ever did!

Action Step: Again, writing about this is the magic. A simple action step is to get all that clutter in your head onto a sheet of paper. 

Have you ever been half asleep and thought of some important tasks you have to do the next day. I have and this makes me feel worried I may forget to do these things - until I make a note of it either in my phone or on a piece of paper.

The action of making a note makes me immediately feel less worried and better. This action has a positive impact on my mental state.

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Write about one thought at a time, bit by bit, until clarity emerges. I describe the writing process in the article Journaling – A Practical Way To Declutter Your Mind.

Fear of Judgment 

The idea of being judged by others can add to your mental clutter. We often fear that sharing our cluttered thoughts will lead to criticism. 

Action Step:  Surround yourself with supportive people or groups that foster positivity and encouragement. You'll find that you're not alone on this journey.

Check out Declutterbuzz! We are a private, safe decluttering group filled with compassionate, understanding, and capable people willing and wanting to help.

It is true that 'A problem shared is a problem halved'! The actions you take will have a cumulative effect, so the more you practice writing, breathing exercises, meditation, and other mindfulness techniques the more peace of mind you will feel.

Full disclosure: I never stuck with a meditation practice long enough to reap the benefits. People I know would no more do without daily meditation than breathing.

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Strategies to Clear Mental Clutter

Mental decluttering is about learning how to navigate through myriad obstacles in your mental space. Taking a mindful approach and including a regular practice of mindfulness techniques will help you stay focused.

The more you practice the more focused you will become.

This is not a quick fix, It requires repetitive practice. The only reason practicing mindfulness techniques won't work is if you abandon practicing, Many people stop practicing because they do not receive the instant gratification of blissful peace after a couple days.

The good news is something as simple as deep breaths during times of high stress help improve your state of mind.

Mindfulness Practices for Mental Decluttering

Mindfulness practices can be your mental broom. Techniques like, writing, journaling, meditation, and deep breathing exercises work to declutter your mind. Take a few moments each day to focus on your breath. Let your thoughts float by without judgment. It's like hitting the 'refresh' button on your brain.

There is a reason meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, and other mindful practices have become more popular. Did you know teachers in some grammar schools begin their school day with guided mindfulness practices for students?

Organizing Thoughts

Struggling with scattered thoughts? Try organizing them through journaling or prioritizing tasks. Crafting a to-do list is akin to sorting items into neat categories — it helps bring order to chaos.

Write it down, and watch clarity follow.

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Keep in mind when your mental health is good this spills over to your physical health and vice versa.

Limiting Distractions

Limiting distractions is a hard sell today because almost all of us seem to have a phone as an extension to our dominant hand. For example I run a number of online businesses and have a great excuse for letting myself be constantly distracted.

I also have the power to mute all the notifications.

Our digital age feeds mental clutter through endless notifications and content. Set boundaries with technology. Limit social media consumption, and make time to disconnect. By reducing these distractions, you can refocus on what truly matters.

Overcoming the fear of mental decluttering is more than just a mental chore — it's a pathway to a clearer, more focused mind. Embrace these fears, face them, and apply practical strategies to tidy up your mental space. With a more organized mind, you'll find peace, purpose, and a renewed sense of control over your life's direction.

So the next time you you are stressed out and the mental clutter is weighing you down take some deep breaths! You do not have to wait for your stress levels to blow off the chart before you start the practice of writing. All it takes is a pen and a sheet or two of paper or a cheap spiral-bound notebook.

Photo byMarj Bates

Marj Bates is a life long ridiculously organized declutterer 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.

For more Declutter Buzz & Freebies check out our safe and private Decluttering community on our Facebook page. We are a safe and private space of like minded folks tackling this all encompassing clutter thing once and for all. No shame allowed! We will have a few laughs too!

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