The Ultimate Stress Reducer: Declutter Therapy and How To Do It
Do you ever find yourself trying to get work done but you can’t stop side-eyeing that pile of dirty dishes in your sink? Or you’re sitting at your desk amidst a pile of papers and can barely even think straight? I don’t consider myself a neat freak by any means, but when I’m surrounded by clutter, my productivity drops to near-zero.
I used to think I was crazy for how often I would have to reorganize my desk before I could get any work done, but then I found out that I’m not alone. According to Psychology Today, clutter leads to stress because it “bombards our minds with excessive stimuli, causing our senses to work overtime” and “constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done”.
That really hit the nail on the head for me. Sitting at my desk as papers pile up, with a near-full trashcan under my desk, dirty dishes in the sink, and a pile of unfolded laundry on my bed makes me internally shriek. Rather than focusing on my work, all I can think about is the crazy amount of work I know that I have to do. The stress overwhelms me and I lose track of what I’m supposed to be working on and don’t even know where to start!
The thing is that none of these little cleaning chores ever take very much time. It’s just that when they start to pile up, it feels like a mountain of tasks and the stress of being able to get it all done takes over your brain. Personally, if I don’t clean up my space, there’s no way I’m getting my work done. So if taking a little break to tackle the dishes and fold my laundry is going to ultimately make me more productive, I’ve learned to get up from my desk, bite the bullet, and just start cleaning.
The act of tidying is somewhat therapeutic (Marie Kondo would endorse this message). Getting started is the biggest hurdle, but once you’re in the swing of things, you’re wiping down counters, vacuuming, and folding clothes like a cleaning machine! It allows you to turn your brain off, listen to some music, and reset your mind. The next thing you know, your workspace is clean, you feel refreshed, and you’re ready to sit back down and tackle the work you’ve been putting off.
My main point when it comes to clutter, is the amount of unnecessary stuff on my desk. I somehow always end up with at least four beverages surrounding my laptop (that’s just a disaster waiting to happen) and I hoard papers and notebooks. So whenever I feel overwhelmed at work, my first plan of action is to clear my desk. I put away anything that I don’t need, like that cute postcard I picked up from the coffeeshop, or 9 out of the 10 pens that surround me (I like pens a lot). I try to reduce my beverages to just my water bottle and maybe a cup of tea, and I throw away any trash, like receipts or that old piece of scrap paper with useless notes.
Just doing this simple practice makes a huge difference for me, so if you feel overwhelmed or stressed at work, I urge you to try it and see if it helps! I once worked for a fashion designer who was adamant that nobody in the office have anything on their desks except for their computer, keyboard, and telephone. No cell phones, no papers, nothing. It was definitely extreme, but the focus in that office was unparalleled to any other environment I’ve worked in. So give it a try, best case, you’ll be less stressed and more focused and worst case, you’ll have a beautiful tidy workspace. Sounds like a win-win to me.