That’s why cleaning up and decluttering can sometimes feel so goodand even a bit therapeutic.
When some peoplefeel overwhelmedor stressed out, they might try yoga,mindfulness, or even a massage.
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In fact, research shows that cleaningor the lack of cleaningcan have a direct impact on mental health.
Clutter May Contribute to Stress
Research has shown that living in a cluttered environment increases stress.
Such findings suggest that parents should consider how cleanliness and clutter in the home may impact their stress levels.
This fact is especially true when people have significant concerns pressing in on their lives.
There are a number of reasons why cleaning canhelp you destress.
Here’s an overview of some of the benefits of cleaning and decluttering your home or office.
Cleanliness and Physical Health
A clean home also impacts your physical health.
In fact, cleanliness was even more a predictor of good health than the walkability of a neighborhood.
Cleaning gives people a sense of mastery and control over their environment.
you’re able to start to feelstuck in a rut.
The clutter also limits your brain’s ability to process information.
Visual attention and performance on visual tasks is better in situations where there is less distracting clutter.
If you’re having trouble focusing on a project, you may want to try decluttering your workspace first.
In fact, many people wrestle with whether or not cleaning should be a priority.
Here are some ideas on how to incorporate cleaning into your life.
Start Small
Most people put off cleaning because the task seems way too big to tackle.
Commit to doing one thing around your house or apartment each day.
Before you know it, your environment will be much cleaner and less stressful.
For instance, pick one thing you want to do each day and then follow through.
One day you might go through all of your mail.
The next day you might clean the toilet and wash the bathroom sink.
To enjoy the benefits of cleanliness and decluttering, start with what you could realistically manage.
Or, you’re able to use thetime blocking methodfor scheduling to manage your cleanliness and decluttering routine.
When the timer goes off, you are done for the day.
If you would prefer, you could start in a bedroom, instead of the living area.
You get what you’ve got the option to done and then you move on to something else.
Plus, it’s a lot easier to tackle big projects when you have the help of others.
You could also consider getting a robot vacuum so that you don’t have to worry about the floors.
A therapist can help you determine which behaviors are healthy and which might need to be altered.
They can also provide other coping mechanisms for depression, anxiety, or stress.
After all, a messy or cluttered home can be distracting.
Just be sure your cleaning habits aren’t a crutch.
You don’t want to rely solely on cleaning to give your life order and predictability.
Sometimes things won’t go as planned, and you won’t be able to clean.
So, you need other tools in your arsenal to use to destress and unwind.
More importantly, taking a small step toward organizing and cleaning your environment may even lift your mood.
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