APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | AMAZON
Episode #112
Here’s the short version. To listen to the full episode with more stories, examples and insights, click or tap the play button above!
Just like it's good to have a regular ‘tidy-up’ of your desk, refresh your wardrobe and clear out that attic or garage, your mind needs to have a good re-set every so often too. After all, the more you experience in life, the more that gets crammed in there. If you want to make big changes and turn your life around, you need to have the mental bandwidth to make it happen.
Imagine what it would be like to have a mind that is clear, focused and calm and that only holds the knowledge and information you need right now, rather than filled to the brim with leftover or irrelevant ideas, thoughts, plans and a load of other stuff you don't need and that holds you back. You can access the information you need, or make decisions without wading through distracting thoughts.
That is where mental decluttering comes in, and just like physical decluttering, mental decluttering can make a huge difference. A clear, focused mind makes better decisions. By clearing the clutter, you enhance your ability to make thoughtful, considered choices – a valuable skill when making critical decisions for your business and life as a whole.
In our modern, fast-paced society, we are constantly bombarded with information from all directions. This influx, paired with the stressors of a demanding job, and everyday life can cause your mind to become cluttered with thoughts, worries, and doubts that are left over from past experiences but are no longer relevant to you now.
when your mind is cluttered, it becomes challenging to focus on specific thoughts, remember important facts, make decisions, or generate creative solutions as you wade through the emotions, memories, ideas and knowledge that has built up. The mental fog produced by this clutter can also lead to increased stress levels, anxiety, and even burnout, which can further inhibit your ability to effectively plan and launch your business.
Mental clutter can also distort our perception of time. With so many thoughts competing for attention, you might feel as if there's never enough time to tackle everything. This perceived time scarcity can contribute to feelings of being overwhelmed and stuck, when actually if you can sort through those thoughts, the situation may not be as complicated as you think
RELEASE THE PAST
An important part of mental decluttering is to release beliefs, ideas and experiences from the past that don’t serve you. A lot of the fears we have and the clutter we hold in our minds come from experiences in our early life and key events along the way.
Start by acknowledging the mistakes and decisions you've made in the past that may be burdening your mind. Perhaps you're holding onto regrets about past career choices or personal decisions that have led you to where you are now. Recognizing these thoughts is the first step towards releasing them.
Every decision you've made and every mistake that occurred has led you to where you are now – on the brink of becoming an entrepreneur. Instead of viewing past errors with regret, see them as valuable lessons that have shaped your perspective and prepared you for this new journey.
Be gentle with yourself. It's all too easy to be your own harshest critic, especially when reflecting on past choices. Cultivate self-compassion by acknowledging that everyone makes mistakes and that these missteps are part of the human experience.
Holding onto past mistakes and regrets only serves to fill your mind with unnecessary clutter. Consciously release these past experiences. Remember, you can't change what's already happened, but you can control your reaction to it.
Once you've acknowledged, reframed, and forgiven your past mistakes, shift your focus to your future. This shift signifies self-belief and resilience, signalling to your mind that you're ready to embrace your new journey, unencumbered by past regrets.
JOURNALLING
The practice of journaling has been hailed for centuries as a powerful tool for self-reflection, emotional expression, and creative exploration.
As you work out how to navigate from your job to your next life goal, your mind is bound to become a swirling whirlpool of thoughts and ideas. Journaling provides an outlet for these thoughts, a place where you can dump everything that's crowding your mind.
The physical act of writing can also serve as a release, helping to reduce stress, anxiety, and the feeling of being overwhelmed. You can group related ideas, prioritise tasks, and flesh out your next-step strategy.
It’s like having a conversation with someone who knows you really well. Someone who gets what your struggles are and wants to help. In most cases, we know what we need to hear, but our feelings and emotions block it out. The process of writing allows you to separate the two. You can give yourself the advice you need.
Journaling also allows you to look inward and be truthful with yourself. As you write, you may discover underlying fears or doubts that are contributing to your mental clutter. Acknowledging and dealing with the root of these feelings can provide a deeper understanding of what's holding you back, which then allows you to address these concerns and clear mental roadblocks.
By incorporating journaling into your routine, you create a safe space to unload, organize, and understand your thoughts, reducing mental clutter and paving the way for entrepreneurial success.
MINDFULNESS
Many successful people in the world of Business, Sport and celebrity practice it and swear by it. While he was compiling his book "Tribe of Mentors" Tim Ferriss asked 140 people at the top of their fields to answer the same 11 questions, he was surprised by one finding.
"Despite the fact that these are people from tennis to surfing to cryptocurrency to fill-in-the-blank, like any field you can possibly imagine — some type of morning mindfulness or meditation practice would span I'd say 90% of the respondents."
Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the current moment. In our multitasking culture, your attention may often be fragmented between past regrets, future anxieties, and present demands, leading to a sometimes overwhelmed mind. By practising mindfulness, you train your mind to focus on one thing at a time, reducing mental noise and fostering clarity.
You can use mindfulness to temporarily declutter your mind, so you can focus on one thing. Or you can use it in a more long-term way to deal with thoughts and feelings that are getting in your way. Things like the doubts or fears you may have about changing your life, or limiting beliefs based on things in your past that you need to work through.
Once you face and deal with them, they can be cleared out of your mind. So in one mindfulness session, you could focus on whatever it is you need to work through, blocking out everything else.
You can practice mindfulness in many ways. You need to find the one that is most comfortable for you. Then use it to sort through thoughts, feelings and experiences that you need to deal with before you can move on to bigger and better things.
DIGITAL DETOX
Constant exposure to digital content can clutter your mind with excessive information, disrupt your focus, and heighten stress levels. Every email notification, and every social media alert, adds another layer to this mental clutter, diverting your attention from more important tasks.
A digital detox, can refresh your cognitive functions, lessen anxiety, improve concentration, and foster a sense of inner tranquillity. In the newfound calm, creative ideas for your entrepreneurial venture are more likely to emerge.
Doing a digital detox is about deciding on a set period of time when you stop using all digital devices. Then use the time you get back to do things you enjoy that don’t rely on your phone or laptop.
By consciously controlling your digital consumption, you can effectively reduce mental clutter and create a mental space ready for all the new goals and experiences you want to achieve in your life going forward.
BOTTOM LINE IS…
The benefits of a decluttered mind are transformative. It allows you to navigate your daily challenges with ease, freeing up cognitive resources to dedicate to your budding business. With a clear mind, you're more focused, more creative, and more capable of turning your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.
Imagine a life where your past doesn't hold you back, but propels you forward. Where your daily digital distractions are minimized, not magnified. Where your mind is a haven of clear, focused thoughts, not a whirlpool of chaotic ideas. That's what a decluttered mind feels like.
The practice may be challenging, but remember, in every challenge lies an opportunity for growth. Your dreams are worth it. You are worth it.
Links mentioned
"Tribe of Mentors" Book by Tim Ferriss
