Simple living and high thinking are easier said than done especially with our lives getting busier and our to-do lists getting longer. You have to wake up on time, manage your work life, manage your home, take care of your diet, do your skincare and haircare, and squeeze in your workout. Hell, you also have to think about getting at least 8 hours of sleep!
All of this is on our heads but we also don’t want to miss out on the new episode of House of Dragons releasing during the week, watch the new blockbuster movie, and read the next bestseller. At least I don’t want to miss out on all of this.
If only, you could find a way to declutter everything around you and were to consciously drive your life! You’re welcome. 🙂
Table of Contents
What does decluttering entail?
Decluttering is about cleaning up the space around you and within you so can see everything clearly without having to deal with the mess. It is not just about clearing the laundry pile and cleaning the dishes. It affects every part of your life. I can hardly get myself to churn out half a paragraph till I get that pile of clothes lying around on my table.
I HAVE to declutter everything before I can get to work. Once I have gone through my decluttering checklist, I can work with a clear head and produce my best results. If I can do it, anyone can!
In fact, what if I told you that you could get all of it done and some more? And all of it during the 24 hours of the day that you have currently. So take this seriously. Don’t just skim through but read and take notes of all you need to do to bring your best version forward.
Let’s get started with the decluttering
it’s understandable for you to be overwhelmed. But I suggest that you still start reading the article – go over the list one by one. All you have to do is take note of the headings written below, read the description and figure out how you can fit the things in your life under the heads. Once you have that list ready, it will be much easier to follow through all of it in time and achieve the decluttered life you’re aiming for.
Once you have this ready, you’ll have a decluttering checklist ready!
1. Declutter your space at home and work
Benefits:
- It will help you sort all of the important stuff from the mess and help you focus on that. You can’t do it all at once, so knowing what to do is critical.
- It will help you improve your focus, and increase productivity, creativity and motivation (Isn’t this all the reason enough already?).
- Decluttering reduces anxiety and improves mental clarity. Declutter the space = declutter the mind = you focus on everything better and get better results.
How to go about it:
- Start from the space where you spend the maximum time and then go on to clearing the space where you work out of.
- If the first space was not your bedroom, that is the second place you should be clearing up. Throw out all of the unnecessary wasteful stuff that hasn’t been touched in months. Then one by one, branch out to all other the spaces around you.
- Don’t do this all in one go, you will get overwhelmed and burn out.
- To avoid that, make a list of all the places that need decluttering and take them off your list one by one.
- I also highly recommend the Pomodoro Technique to get maximum work done in the least time and with the least amount of stress.
2. Plan your finances
Benefits:
- Have you heard of the theory of Maslow’s need hierarchy? It is something I read about in my Business Studies Classes in class XII and has stuck with me since. It says that you can only focus on higher physiological needs if your basic needs are fulfilled adequately. This makes total sense! Till I am not sure of where my next meal is coming from, how am I expected to think about feeling fulfilled in life?
- So, get to work. Start by making a budget. Figure out how much money you have and how to make it work for yourself.
- Build an emergency fund. Get insurance.
How to go about it:
- One of my favourite resources that breaks it down very well for me is Finshots. You can check out their articles here.
- You can also use the free Excel template by Finshots to plan your finances for the month.
- This planning and getting on track is going to time so don’t get worked up. But start now!
Once you have control over your money, your mind will be at peace as far as your basic needs are concerned. You can then focus on making your life fuller and happier in other ways discussed in the rest of the article here.
3. Do something meaningful with your time
Benefits:
- Doing meaningful things with your time helps alleviate and reduce stress.
- It will help you feel more connected and present in your life and will help you get a sense of purpose and feel more fulfilled in life.
- Get a sense of purpose by doing things that add value to your life and the lives of others around you.
How to go about it:
- Read something new – read some poetry, a new bestseller book that everyone is reading. Maybe join your local book club! Instagram is a great place to find those.
- Go out of your comfort zone – go for a walking tour and get to know your city, meet some new people, and finally go for that get-together with your office people. Who knows, you’ll surprise yourself!
- Learn a new skill like cooking, driving, sculpting, painting, or carpentry. It’s therapeutic, I swear.
- Plan your day and life – Don’t just go about your day at work. Start it by setting an intention and live each day consciously. This doesn’t have to take too much time – You can simply do it on your way to work if, like me, you’re also always running late. 🙂
- Help someone (but DON’T forget your boundaries doing that, we now know better!)
- Take care of a furry friend – If petting a dog can give you happiness, imagine what taking full-time care can do. Sure, it’s a lot of work but can you believe that studies can extend your life?
4. Set goals long-term and short-term
Benefits:
- It will help you find your PURPOSE. I know it sounds like a big cliched thing but it’s true. If you’re driving around aimlessly, you will at some point get tired of it and feel lost.
- It will keep you on the right track and get you the life you want to get to.
- It will also help you put things into perspective about how to get where you want to be. Only if you know you want to get to the U.S., will you be able to find the way to get there.
How to go about it:
- PLEASE don’t do this in your head. Think about where you want to be in the next year and five years.
- Don’t be vague. Be descriptive and put numbers and goals in detail. Also, mention the timelines within which you want to achieve your goals by. All of this will translate your thoughts into reality.
- Once you know what the final picture is going to look like, split these goals into smaller milestones and also make those milestones measurable and time-trackable. This will make you more accountable for achieving your own goals and help you get into the nitty-gritty of getting where you want to be.
5. Don’t live beyond your means
Benefits:
- You will get peace of mind when you have adequate money for your needs even during the last week of the month.
- You can plan for your short-term and long-term financial goals and maybe travel around.
How to go about it:
- You can put your money in lock-in for a while so you don’t have access to it. Don’t do this with your emergency funds. Save that for emergencies.
- You can also try the envelope method where you put cash into different pockets – each for a different expense purpose.
- Do most of your shopping on big sales! I always stock up on necessities like toiletries and tissue paper at big discounts.
- Don’t be scared to cut corners where you can. If you’re able to make small savings, you should be proud of yourself!
6. Make time for the things you’ve been wanting to do for ages
Benefits:
- Be conscious of how much time you spend on things that don’t benefit you in the long run. I feel personally attacked even while writing this!
- You’ll suddenly see that you DO have time for everything that you have been wanting to do. All you needed to do was plan and execute well.
- You’ll be able to make time for the things you want to make time for and getting those done will give you a great sense of fulfillment.
How to go about it:
- Reflect and note down how you spent the last two days. Don’t forget to look at your phone for the statistics on your screen time. See which apps you’re spending the most time on.
- Is it Kindle where you’re reading ‘How to Think and Grow Rich’ or are you mindlessly scrolling through Instagram reels or Youtube shorts about things that won’t add any value to your time?
- Set screen timers and reminders to nudge yourself in the right direction when you go astray. Keep it simple and do more of what matters to you.
- Spend your time on tasks like planning your finances, learning a new skill, reading a new book, and learning how to work on yourself in the long run. Or simply, just go plan that dinner with your friend you’ve been meaning to do for such a long time now. Make time for it by using our hacks to draw yourself a productivity cheat sheet.
7. Strengthen and reconnect with your support system
Benefits:
- Going through life alone is not easy. There is no reason to do it to yourself. You would not believe that having a poor support system has been linked to higher chances of alcoholism, depression and suicide.
- It’s not just about feeling less lonely. A good support system will overall benefit your well-being in ways you can’t think of.
- If your basic needs of being loved and wanted are met, you’ll generally feel more secure as a person, perform better at your workplace, and make healthier relationships with the people surrounding you.
How to go about it:
- Stop avoiding social gatherings and make a real effort to show up. Engage with people around you and I swear life will be instantly better!
- Don’t keep pushing that Sunday brunch with your best friend simply because you got lazy. Pick up the phone and make plans yourself. Do the things that you both will enjoy.
- Reconnect with your old friends. Even if you haven’t spoken to them in a while, with them, you’ll just pick up right where you left off.
- Tell these old friends and family how you feel about the distance and make an effort to reconnect and recharge.
- Recount the people who you can always count on and ask them how they’ve been doing recently. If you’re counting on them, they’re probably counting on you too just as much.
8. Actively take care of yourself
Benefits:
- You may feel guilty about it at first but as you do more of it, you’ll realise how much it helps not only you but also everyone else around by. You’ll feel much more like yourself.
- You’ll stop resenting other things and people that constantly keep you occupied.
- You’ll be able to stay present in the moments for yourself and for others around you at work and home.
- Being more present means you’re able to give much more of yourself to people around you while making sure that you don’t empty your vessel. (VERY IMPORTANT)
How to go about it:
- It’s very easy to get lost in day-to-day life and forget what kept you going in the first place. This is why, it’s important to create a space for yourself where you can take a mental break from everything and everyone that you’re responsible for.
- What is it that you always liked doing when you were a kid? Was it singing and dancing? Reading books and watching movies? Special outings around nature?
- As a rule, make time for all of those things in your life and stay connected with yourself. Don’t compromise on your core needs for anything or anyone in your life. If that person truly cares about you, they will be elated to see you at peace and happy.
- So, go ahead and indulge yourself.
9. Don’t take a shit and don’t give a shit
Benefits:
- You’ll harbour less anger against people for giving you shit if you just stop taking it.
- You’ll be happier with yourself and have healthier relationships by blocking all the negativity out of your life – putting it exactly where it needs to be.
- Be more at peace and mentally lighter by training yourself to not give a shit and take any shit.
How to go about it:
- Don’t give a shit about what others think of you and your actions as long as you know you’re doing the right thing.
- Learn to draw healthy boundaries for yourself.
- If you think you need to learn a little bit more. Don’t blame yourself. Mark Manson wasn’t lying when he said that it truly is an art to not give a fuck.
- But really, do yourself this favour and keep it simple. If you like it, do it and if you don’t, just stop doing it. Learned this the hard way but this is something I strive to live by!
10. Stay healthy – physically and mentally
Benefits:
- Eat clean and move a little bit. You won’t fall sick – Ha! I’m a genius to have figured that out! 🙂
- You’ll feel lighter, more active, sleep better, be more present, and therefore, just be better at everything you do.
- While you’re focusing on the physical, don’t forget the mental. It is equally important if not more.
How to go about it:
- Clean your consumption. This not only includes what you put into your body but also what you put into your brain.
- Get into a routine of planning your meals, exercise, social media time and content.
- All that content you’re consuming has an impact on how you think, what you do and even what you believe in.
- Keep a specific time for all the negative news. I suggest that you don’t catch up with it first thing in the morning or the last thing at night.
- Side note – have you watched the Social Dilemma? Or read about the Arushi Talwar Murder case? Still surprised by how the content we consume can influence our core values and how we live our life!
I always end most of my productivity and decluttering posts by saying that you can’t get it all done in a day. So don’t get overwhelmed and plan your decluttering exercise because it will take time. Take some time to plan it and spread it over.
Just take one hour out of your day daily and dedicate it to conscious living and decluttering everything unnecessary in your life. Review your progress every week and don’t beat yourself up for not getting enough done. Give yourself a break and when you’re ready and rejuvenated – get right back on track.
