Clean Space, Clean Mind: 3 Steps to an inspired workday
With many of us working from home, being intentional with the state and function of your space can play an integral role in the success of your day. Today, we dive into three easy ways you can clear your space, clear your mind, and step into an inspired workday.
Step one: Acceptance
Researchers have found that when a space is described as “cluttered” and full of “unfinished projects” it is more likely to leave you feeling depressed, unmotivated and fatigued, which is in stark contrast to those who see their space as tidy and restorative. So how can you keep your space more organised to better optimise your days– whether you work from home or not?
If you are feeling stressed and lacking in time, tidying will be the last thing you think about prioritising when you can’t seem to get on top of your to-do list. With daily movement and meal prep often the first to drop off our list of priorities when tight for time, cleaning our workspace sometimes doesn’t even make it on the list, to begin with! But like with anything we want to achieve, it all comes down to prioritisation. Oliver Burkam writes in The Eight Secrets to a (Fairly) Fulfilled Life, “There will always be too much to do - and this realisation is liberating”.
So, the first step is acceptance; accepting that your daily tasks are endless because they are and that’s ok!
Step Two: Prioritisation
Pick a maximum of three things you must achieve each day. For example, I intentionally try to finish three daily work tasks by 2 PM on days when I know I need to tidy up and get an early start on dinner before the kids get home. Watch out, though, as your mind is cunning and will try and convince you that you should spend that last hour sending emails, getting a head start on tomorrow’s projects, or even worse, spending 15-20 minutes doom scrolling on social media. While I’m far from perfect and do succumb to these options from time to time, I know that honouring my promise will help my headspace both later in the day and the following morning when I have a clean home and office.
Step 3: Decluttering
Let’s focus on your workspace for this example, but it really can apply to all spaces in your home. Ask yourself: Do I need this stack of magazines on my desk? What about that document tray? When is the last time you’ve gone through and emptied it? Let’s not forget the sea of sticky notes hanging from your desktop. As is typical with many entrepreneurs, we are often working on many different projects at once, and things can get a little chaotic as you jump from task to task. Jotting ideas that randomly pop into my head and sticking them somewhere I can see for when I have time to action is something I practise quite often, but it’s when I move on to the next task and do not clear away the obsolete that it becomes a problem.
Rather than Marie Condo-ing it and questioning its joy, ask yourself “Is this relevant to my goals now?” Quickly you will realise that a lot of the items cluttering your workspace are not supporting but rather hindering your progress towards your goals, directly impacting your motivation and drive for current projects. Clear away loose papers of ideas, client notes and past projects. These are invitations for distractions and procrastination. And if possible aim to be as paperless as possible.
This same strategy can extend to your device as well. I see you there will all your tabs open and the overflowing desktop where you’ve saved all your files you’ve been “too busy” to file away. Spend 5 minutes at the end of each day clearing your desktop, or filing away emails in your inbox.
Now it’s your turn! Be intentional about creating time to clean your space and take note of your mindset the following day. Do you notice any improvements? Are you more motivated and inspired to start creating? Remember, clear away items that no longer serve you and your current purpose. Happy cleaning!
DISCLAIMER
This content is not intended as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease or health illness. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before acting on any information presented here.
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