Clutter: Get Rid Of It...NOW!

(Photo courtesy of Mayantran.com)

As the summer months rolled in I began thinking of ways to carry less, do more with less, and rid myself of all the heaping piles of "stuff" all around me. Everywhere there was a pile, not only physically, but digitally, mentally, and also spiritually.

Just the thought of having to find a picture on my phone, or find the contact information of a videographer became a dreaded chore. It was awful. I remember saying to myself, "Why am I digging through all of this stuff? Where did it come from?! And WHY is my phone so slow!!!!"

Needless to say, it was the clutter. Clutter. You know that pile of "stuff" that has so much meaning to you (because no one else has any use for it) that if something happened to it, you would incur a setback of several months. But hey, if it's that important, why is it in a pile! It's because it has taken the shape of your mind; Everything stacking up on top of you. And guess what else? It's draining you of thought, activity, and creativity. It's time to take action.

First and foremost, when dealing with clutter (especially in the office) a system of organization has to take precedence. What needs to be stored and can those documents be stored digitally? What's important that requires daily handling? What got shifted to your desk but should have went elsewhere? A system helps you prioritize what goes and what stays.

Photo: Courtesy of wethechange.com

In being very honest, when considering what is usually found on desks can be found digitally, even signed copies of documents. Scan it. Throw it. If you have to keep that hard copy  for future audits or so forth, then conveniently place in storage boxes, date, seal, and send to storage. Get rid of it.

Second, dealing with mental clutter. I remember once I had a horrible time resting at night So much so that I almost worked myself into cardiac arrest. My physician gave me this great advice: He said, "Ms. Coleman, before going to bed at night, take a pen and paper and write everything you must do on the following day down on paper. Keep it in the drawer of your nightstand. As you're trying to fall into sleep and you're alerted because you remembered something - you can say to yourself, it's written down, I won't forget it. The brain remembers what is written." He was right. After a few weeks of that - I wasn't writing anything. I was sleeping!

It's imperative to clear the mind. When the mind is bogged down it leaves a drained, worn, always tired feeling and that can lead to depression. Feeling oppressed is never a good thing. Mental clutter can lead to other forms of illness if not properly addressed. Get rid of the clutter!

(Photo: Courtesy KD McMillan.com)

It comes a time when one has to do the SMH (Shake My Head) thing at his or herself when it comes to Inboxes. Really? Really. I have a girlfriend who will remain nameless (she's named after a month - In Spring) whose Inbox on last count, registered 7,412 emails. I looked at her. I walked away. Never! Sigh....

Why would anyone allow this happen? Please note: I have just as many emails, however, they are labeled, categorized, and in folders. Thank you #Goggle! But, it isn't just the unending pile of emails but what of that Contact List that you have no clue as to who a third of the people are in your Contacts folder.

It's time to send that summer email that reads, "Hi, Do I Know You?" in the Subject line. How can you go on to clearer and sharper thinking, communicating, and strategic planning when you cannot make it out of your Inbox. It is a known fact, that many emails are sent erroneously because the sender got confused with email delivery. What's going to whom? Oops, thank goodness for the "recall" functionality of MS Outlook! A clear waste of productivity.

Organization matters. It helps you become a better YOU. Clear the clutter people. Get rid of it - NOW!

Happy Cleaning!

The Consultant Lives

P.S. Next post - Spiritual Clutter and It's Demise! Stay tuned!