In our fast-paced lives, it’s easy for our minds to feel overwhelmed, and often, these feelings can be brought into our spaces in the form of clutter. According to licensed psychologist, Peggy Loo, a messy environment can contribute to stress, anxiety, sleep issues, and concentration. Our brains like organization, so the visual distraction of clutter can make our minds feel overloaded and can reduce our working memory. It can also increase laziness by triggering avoidance strategies that make us more likely to sit around and be unproductive.
However, there is hope. Tidying up our living spaces can have significant benefits on our mental state:
- One of the things cleaning up our space can do is increase our sense of order and control. This is beneficial because it can reduce overwhelming feelings of procrastination and stress. Creating a structured environment can help manage our emotional state by offering an outlet for us to have complete control over our lives when maybe that is not true for other aspects we are involved in.
- Another way maintaining a tidy space can be beneficial is by providing feelings of familiarity and consistency. Doing this can be crucial for creating a feeling of comfort and stability in one’s space so it does not add more stress to what we may already be facing.
- The physical act of cleaning our space can release endorphins. The endorphins act as natural pain and stress relievers, enhancing overall well-being. This also goes hand in hand with that feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction we get after cleaning our space. This can be created when we can see how all of our hard work paid off in getting to take in this new tidy space.
- Additionally, decluttering our space also allows for improved focus. As supported by research from the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, this is because cleaning one’s room can allow the brain to focus on tasks one at a time. It takes away from that constant reminder of cleaning being on the to-do list. This can reduce distractions and enhance productivity on other tasks present in our lives.
- Lastly, having a clean room can allow for more regulated emotions. This can be attributed to the fact that cleaning requires us to slow down and focus, offering a calming effect. It allows us to better manage our emotions effectively by creating a more positive space to live in.
In conclusion, this highlights that partaking in one simple task can create a better quality of life. This allows us to not only enhance the aesthetic of our area but also improve our mental well-being.