Mindfulness Practise to De-clutter Your Mind

Amy Taylor September 08, 2014

In this fast-paced world, juggling work and your personal life, and all other demands and pressures –can feel really overwhelming. If you’re like most people, there isn’t a single hour that you do nothing but relax and unwind. No matter how hard you try, you probably are stuck in a plethora of work and personal obligations that the only time for you to rest is at night when you go to sleep. Worse, you could only sleep for a maximum of 7 hours!

All those demands and pressure in the outside world often keep our minds full. You may find yourself having the last song syndrome for “Let it go” even though you know it is something that you (and many people) often fail at. We need to admit that sometimes – we just find it too difficult to let go of the worries, fears, and all sorts of negative thoughts even though we know that doing so can give us lasting relief. Our minds are hardwired to favour negative thought patterns, after all.

But since the arrival of Positive Psychology, we learnt that to develop resilience against difficulties, we need to be mindful, not “mind full”. Numerous studies have shown that being present in the moment can actually lower our stress levels, lift our mood, and give us a better sense of well-being. Plus, it makes us happier too.

So how do you adopt mindfulness to de-clutter your mind? Well, what do you with a box that is too full? You either reorganise its contents so it would be easier to carry, or take a few items out so it gets lighter.

You do the same thing with your mind.

As you watch yourself breathe in and breathe out, you allow unnecessary stuff (negative thoughts) to leave your mind, and let more useful things (positive thoughts) get in. How do you do it? Consider these three simple yet powerful tips:

Let things in, one at a time. Your brain is a complex, powerful organ that doesn’t stop functioning or should we say – thinking. Yes, you can’t control what comes to your mind. But you are capable of screening your thoughts and keeping useful information and getting rid of those that aren’t. Protect your mind from overstimulation. Reduce multi-tasking. It’s an easy way to clutter your mind. Tackle each task one at a time. This way, your brain can work efficiently without cluttering up.

Let some things be. There are some things in life that you can’t avoid – such as pain, sickness, failure, stress – the list goes on. Instead of pondering on them too much, you just have to let things be. When you’re hurt, let it be. Feel the pain. You may feel the urge to suppress it by hurting yourself, getting drunk, or avoiding being alone, but the best way to deal with difficulties is to face them. This requires more courage but it’s definitely worth it. Be your own best friend, not worst enemy. Help yourself overcome a difficulty without becoming unhealthy, alone or helpless in the end.

Let some things go. You probably have some things in your mind that you cannot simply let go, although you know they are causing you pain. It could be a traumatic childhood memory, resentment toward a friend or family member, or fear of failing again. Indeed, these things are hard to let go, but not impossible. Consider seeing a therapist to learn how you can deal with such forms of mental clutter.

Mindful or mind full? Where you at? Hope you belong to the mindful group. But just in case you don’t, try incorporating these tips in your daily life. They may help you effectively deal with mental clutters that are keeping your mind full, and ultimately, become happier and healthier.