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What does your home or workspace look like? Is it a picture of calm, or is it full of stuff on the surfaces, and post its full of notes of tasks?

Clutter can be frustrating. You can work all day long and feel like you accomplished very little. Aside from simply being aggravating, it turns out that the stress which clutter promotes can lead to a host of physical and mental health issues. It all has to do with how your brain reacts to the clutter around you.

The Pain of Giving Up an Object

Researchers at Yale University in Connecticut have discovered that 2 different pain-related areas of your brain go crazy when you give up some item or object that you have developed a sense of connection with. Those areas are the anterior cingulate cortex and insular cortex (insula).

Your anterior cingulate cortex sends off warning signals when your hot chocolate is too hot, or you experience some other type of physical pain. Remarkably, when you give away or sacrifice a possession or item to which you are attached, this part of your brain reacts in the same way. When you are heavily invested emotionally or financially, the feeling of loss is accelerated.

Your insula is related with pain, how you empathize with others, and your awareness of your own emotional state. This area of your brain also reacts as if you have received some emotional or physical pain when you let go of a possession which has some type of personal value.

The Mental Difficulty of Beating Clutter

This hardwired response to giving away possessions is what makes defeating clutter so difficult for some. Usually, the way your brain responds to giving up an object only triggers a physical pain response if that object meant a lot to you. However, in some people it is difficult to part with something as simple as an old newspaper.

How can you use this information to your advantage if you are trying to declutter your life?

Understand that those painful emotions you are experiencing when you are contemplating giving up some item or object are natural. Give them their due. Experience them. Understand what they are, trigger reactions which happen to everyone.

Then, instead of surrendering to them, take control. If the best thing for you is to let go of a particular item, then do so. Look at your situation logically and objectively. Your brain is automatically reacting to the thought of “losing” something. However, that same brain craves order and discipline, which are 2 of the many rewards of a uncluttered life.

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Meditation for motivation

To the outsider, meditation can look a bit kumbaya, a bit wishy washy. But in fact daily meditation can be a great way to get your life on track and rid yourself of the stress of everyday life whilst also motivating you to stick to your life goals.

Many people have tried meditation during their life time, some with more success than others. Mastering the art of meditation can take a while, so if you’re struggling to see results straight away, don’t give up. There are many ways that regular meditation can help you to stay focused and motivated during the course of the week, which can improve your performance in the work place and also help you to feel better within yourself too. Here are several ways meditation will help your motivation.

1. It will reduce stress

With less stress, it’s a lot easier to stay motivated. When you’re feeling stressed out, even the smallest of things can start to get you down, and you might feel like you just can’t keep going any longer. Being less stressed will help you to concentrate better at work as well as perform more effectively while keeping your spirits up.

2. It can help you relax more

When you’re not worrying about everything, you can relax more and motivate yourself to keep going and complete the necessary tasks. When you’re stressing out, all you want to do is go to bed and forget about all your problems or have somebody else take care of them! Relaxation is heavily promoted and encouraged through daily meditation, so taking part in it regularly can ease your anxieties.

3. It gives you a routine

With a good routine, it’s much easier to concentrate on the things you need to do, and you’ll be able to motivate yourself more easily too. When you’re in a routine, you can clearly see what you’re doing and what needs to be done. If you struggle to establish a routine in your life, getting into the habit of meditating can help you to achieve this. You’ll be able to spend quality time thinking about what you need to do and how you can build a routine, while also relaxing and meditating on other things.

4. It can improve concentration

There have been many studies into whether or not meditation can actually help to improve our concentration, and the general consensus is that it actually can. Just a few minutes per day of meditation trains your body and mind to stop and concentrate on what you’re doing in a very focused manner. You can then apply this to different aspects of your life, especially if you’re studying or working in a job which requires a lot of concentration.

If you find your mind is whirring every day, and you find that you are struggling to achieve what you know you are capable of, then why not give daily meditation a go? Build it into your routine every day for for a month, and then see how much it has helped you. I am sure that you will find that your productivity and motivation has increased whilst your stress levels have decreased.

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relaxing home environment

Your home should be a place where you can escape from the stresses of life. But, with so much happening in a home every day, it can quickly become just as hectic as the places you’re trying to escape from. With just a bit of work, though, you can make your home more restful, inviting, and turmoil-free. Follow this advice to turn your house from stressful to restful, before you know it.

Clear Out the Clutter

Keeping your house free of clutter makes your home less stressful as you go about your day-to-day life. The more clutter you have, the more stuff you have to move around, tidy up and live with. Continue reading

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I’m not sure if it’s the cold weather, or just things going on at work, but I have been feeling a bit down recently. I know these moods occur to us all, and I’m not worried about it, but am just aware of it.

I’m not a fan of the cold, although I don’t like extreme heat either. Give me a range between 10 to 30 degrees and I’m happy. But each winter just seems to get longer, and although it’s not been a bad one by any stretch, I am so looking forward to spring coming. I know it’s around the corner.

But one thing I was interested in was the effect that food has on moods. It’s not an area that I know a lot about, but I know that some foods can give you a natural high. Who hasn’t reached for a chocolate bar to cheer them up?Continue reading

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walk yourself healthier

In my last post, I discussed tips for new runners. But not everyone will want to run, some people would prefer to walk their way to a healthier version of themselves.

Walking is a great form of exercise for a couple of reasons. Firstly, you don’t need any equipment, although we’ll talk about one device you should use. Secondly, you can do it just about anywhere. These two reasons make it a great type of exercise to do when traveling – you don’t have to carry around a bunch of equipment.

If the weather is nice, walking outside is best for you. Getting your vitamin D from the sun, breathing in fresh air, and listening to the birds singing are all great reasons for walking outside. If the weather is bad, take your walk inside to either a gym or perhaps a shopping centre – just remember to get a good walk round before you start to weigh yourself down with heavy bags.Continue reading