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Many people value organizational skills, but few know where to start with them. Knowing how organizing helps your mental health could encourage you to reevaluate how you feel and make tidiness out of a mess that’s occupied your space for far too long. Be on the lookout for signs that your mental health is suffering — it could be time for a massive organization of your room.
Mental health isn’t the same for everyone, but some people experience overlap in their symptoms when their mental state declines. While not exclusive or indicative of everyone’s experiences, these three symptoms are significant indicators that you feel burnt out or need a break.
Think of the things you used to enjoy. Do you still go places that make you feel happy or see loved ones to catch up? Partaking in hobbies you used to love may make you feel tired and like activity isn’t worth the effort. If you lack interest in the things you used to love, you may need to step back and check out your mental state.
Loss of focus is indicative of a declining mental state. If you find it challenging to focus on small tasks, your brain might be in overload mode. Depression and anxiety could be the root cause of a sudden lack of focus, but stress and sleeping habits can also affect your outlook on life and your ability to focus.
Messiness is another symptom of a declining mental state. Some people never learn how to organize things and keep their spaces tidy, but others quickly fall into a habit of messiness when under pressure. Untidiness can add to your stress, as it can be challenging to find items you need or stressful to clean when you’re expecting guests to come over.
Luckily, you can actively eliminate this symptom as long as you have the motivation to get up and clean. Learning how organizing helps your mental health improve is the first step to pulling yourself out of a rut or lessening the effects of your symptoms.
While there is no one-size-fits-all cure for declining mental health, you can take steps to prevent your symptoms from feeling so severe by organizing your environment. A cluttered environment is no place for recovery, and you might find that managing your space could improve your mental health overall.
Clutter is one of the most stressful things you can face. If it doesn’t stress you out to see your living space in disarray, simply having a mess nearby will be enough to add to your stress. Less clutter can help you focus better, and you’ll also love the appearance of your space more. Realizing that decluttering your area can help you feel much more motivated and comfortable could be the push you need to show how organizing helps your mental health.
While it may be difficult to conjure the motivation it takes to get started, you may find that you feel energized to do another once you clean a room. Once you’ve created one fresh environment to live in, you’ll want to keep going. Remember to pace yourself and keep your cleaning responsibilities low for the time being, especially if you have other responsibilities to take care of.
When you’re stressed, your mind can go to the worst possible scenario and leave you feeling helpless in the present. One way to keep your head out of the clouds is to clean and organize your things. It keeps your mind focused on the here-and-now, as you have to choose new homes for loved items or give away unwanted ones.
While you organize a room, you can implement grounding techniques to help you feel less anxious. Find and organize your items by touch, smell and sight. Focusing on the concrete objects in your hands or in front of you can help you realize that the present matters most.
When you live in a dirty or disorganized environment, you open yourself up to health hazards posed by dust, mites, mildew and more. At the very least, it can mess with your allergies, but at its worst, indoor allergens can pollute the air you breathe alongside things like air fresheners.
Fight against allergens by purchasing bed sheets and pillowcases that are allergen-free. To eliminate mites and pesky dust bunnies, make sure to vacuum everywhere in your bedroom, especially under the bed where they like to reside. Keeping your home tidy is a critical way to declutter inside your mind and keep your body healthy so you feel prepared for anything.
When you get better sleep, you may be less stressed out than if you were only running on a few hours’ worth. With less clutter around your home, you’ll likely be less stressed, leading to better sleep. When you’re stressed, you might feel like your sleeping habits suffer, leading you to suffer in your waking life. Stress affecting your rest is normal, but if you experience it all too regularly, you should cut out the things in your life that cause stress.
One such thing might be too much clutter. If you can’t find your crucial belongings in your home, you may need to consider decluttering. It could help lower your stress levels and put you back on the path to sleeping well.
You don’t need to tidy your whole house in a day, especially if you’re new to implementing organizational skills. You can start small and see how organizing helps your mental health, then continue onto larger projects. Remember that it’s okay to ask for help, especially if you feel overwhelmed or cannot accomplish it on your own. With a bit of dedication, you may be able to organize your way to a healthier state of mind.
