By TJ Martin
We previously spoke about Decluttering for Better Mental, Emotional and Physical Health. Now let’s discuss Decluttering Your Environment for Better Health. The condition of your environment affects your overall health.
Evaluate Your Environment
One of the first steps to decluttering your environment is to be honest with yourself about the current condition of said environment. Is your calendar overbooked? Is your office space disorganized? Are there distractions you could eliminate? Do you have trouble locating items when you need them? All of these things can create unnecessary stress that in turn affects your health.
Examine the Changes You Need to Make
Let’s take a look at some of these areas that can impact your health.
Take a look at your calendar. Do you have time set aside for all the important things in your life and not just work or business, but also family, hobbies, and personal time? Do you try to rearrange things at the last minute to fit in a request from someone for your time? Do you have time set aside for fun and relaxation?
Now think about your workspace and home. Does everything have a specific place you keep it? Are you using and loving all the things that you have? Do you need to downsize and organize your spaces?
You should also consider distractions in your environment. At work, is construction being done or do you have a loud, chatty team? If you are working in your home, do you have a quiet space to work? What distractions are making it more difficult to concentrate on the tasks at hand?
Establishing a Better Environment
Small steps to start decluttering your environment can make a huge difference. Decluttering your calendar is a great place to start. Block off all scheduled times that cannot and or should not be changed—work, upcoming appointments, kids’ activities, date night. These are all important things that should not be rearranged for any reason. Now when someone wants to set a time with you it is easier to let them know if you are available. If the time is already taken do not rearrange for them. Let them know that you are booked that day and give them an alternative time if it is something that needs to be set.
When it comes to your work and home spaces decluttering and organizing can be a massive undertaking, starting small is best. Is your desk disorganized? Do you need everything that is on your desk? Start by only having the things on your desk that you use on a daily basis—remove, and put away everything else. Keep those unneeded items close at hand and in the same place so that they are easily accessible. As for distractions, if you are having a hard time concentrating due to others, ask to move to another workspace or a quieter area to work if that is an option. This is especially important if you are working on a project that is time-sensitive.
As for your home, this is a tough area for most people. My suggestion is that you start small, one cabinet or closet at a time, step by step until you complete one room. Keep only the things that you love and use. The remaining items can be tossed, donated, or sold. Once you are down to the items that you love, and use, find each a home. If you have a home for everything, then you will know where it is when you need to use it. How much time have you wasted over the years looking for something that you need but can’t remember where you put it last?
Final Thoughts
If you have your space organized, have only the things that you love and use, and you have a home for them all, you will have less stress and ultimately better health. Decluttering your environment for better health is all about taking small steps to a healthy you. Start with one step towards decluttering and organizing your spaces today.
The author is the founder of “Do The Dream,” a personal development coaching platform. Visit her website at www.dothedreamnow.com.