Many of us know that an untidy living and workspace doesn’t do us any good, whether consciously or unconsciously. In the world of self-development and improving your life, the simple concept of tidying your room is a common must-do! And you know what do to. Keep a clean, tidy, and organised environment!
But then, why is a tidy, clean, and organised environment so important for your own sake?
One great reason is that an organised environment is a time saver. Yes, you may spend time cleaning and tidying, but that is nothing compared to the benefits it brings. At least now you know where everything goes, where everything is, and you spend less time thinking about it.
For many, the biggest argument for it is that the organisation and tidiness of one’s living and working space brings with it a mental clarity and wellbeing. A tidy environment is a tidy mind. It increases your focus since there are less distractions around you. Some say this would even boost your productivity!
By cleaning up, you create an inviting environment that will support your growth. It’s motivating and easier to stay disciplined when you are proud of the space you live in. You gain a sense of control over your life and environment. A sense of responsibility.
So then, what do you clean? What do you tidy and organise?
Just start! Start with the basics. Therefore, start with the area in which you spend the most time in. This could be your bedroom (a very popular choice), your office, your garden, or maybe even your car… Clean up one area at a time. You don’t need to try to do everything all at once.
Some of you may also benefit from cleaning up and organising your technological equipment (phones, computers, tablets…). Go through your hard-drives, computer folders, contacts, photos, the list goes on… Organise them and delete the unimportant crap.
Keep an eye on your administrative paperwork too. File letters and official documents into folders or boxes. It’s basically the same process as with your computer…. Organise and categorise! Who knows, one day you might find yourself in need of quickly finding some forgotten piece of paper. At least you’ll know where to find it!
Keeping a clean home and workspace is an important habit and a great way to stick to it is to tidy a little bit each day. Quickly wipe the kitchen top after you use it. Put away your gaming controller instead of leaving it on the table. Make your bed!
Create yourself a simple a process, a method that works for you, not necessarily for everyone else. It creates an automatism so that you don’t really need to think about what you are doing. It doesn’t always have to take up much of your time.
But how could I talk about cleaning up your environment without mentioning the 2 minute rule? It’s simple, if you see something that can be put away or cleaned in less than 2 minutes, then do it in that moment.
Basically: You see. You do. Simple as that.
This is a neat trick, but careful not to use it to procrastinate instead of getting on with bigger tasks. Only apply the 2 minute rule if you aren’t already working on something more important (and productive). Don’t use it as an escape from your current task.
Cleaning, tidying, and organising your environment your way has no negative side effect. It’s all to win, nothing to lose. The benefits on your mental health are incredible and your ideas will be clearer.
It is important that you make sure you can at least keep a tidy environment. A straightforward and simple task, before thinking you can move on to bigger, better things in life that require much more dedication than putting a few clothes away or cleaning your sink.
Clean up, move on, and whatever happens, you can handle it.
