Is it true that a free space equals a clear mind?

It's easy to persuade yourself that to contemplate, create, develop, or perform a variety of other important-for-your-sanity activities, you must first clean your room, disinfect your yoga mat, drink your first two cups of coffee, and so on.

There are a plethora of sayings regarding it, such as "Clean space, clear mind." "Spare desk, brilliant work." (Okay, I made up both of them, but you get the idea.) But what is the real deal? Are we increasing our odds of sitting down to accomplish something essential, or are we simply becoming highly productive procrastinators?

Let us dissect how chaos impacts health

According to the Princeton Neuroscience Institute research, having many visual stimuli inside one's field of vision results in those stimuli contending for cerebral representation. The more stuff you can see, the easier it is to become distracted by layman's words. Your brain is physically confronted with many sandwiches to bite into, and it is unclear which to try first.

What about avoidance?

Two researchers analyzed procrastination among university students in a study issued in "Psychological Science," meticulously tracking their behavior and academic performance during a semester. In the semester, procrastinators reported lower stress and fewer sicknesses than non-procrastinators (short-term advantages). Still, later in the semester, they said there was more stress and more illness (long-term costs).

Slackers also had poorer overall grades, demonstrating a self-defeating behavioral pattern. So, is your routine of cleansing, tidying, or listening to your favorite music to get your creative juices flowing beneficial to you? When did we persuade ourselves that we needed to tidy up before enjoying our favorite activities?

The more clutter you can see, the more easily you’ll find yourself distracted.

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When it concerns whether or not tidying at home increases productivity, searchers believe it does. Decluttering at home may increase productivity for the majority of us. However, a little ordered chaos may provide creative inspiration for my right-brain customers (artists, musicians, authors, stylists, and even artisans). It does not apply over extended periods because many artists appear to "rage against the mundane" when inspired to create. When the inspiration fades, they frequently reorganize their workspaces for a fresh start and kickstart the subsequent creative energy flow.

Clutter may be crippling for some of us.

Have you ever walked into a messy workplace, ready to begin a significant venture, only to walk back out because the mess "messed" with your concentration? Clutter may be downright debilitating for some of us. I recall visiting customers' offices, residences, and music, painting, and yoga classes to meet with people paralyzed by clutter. I talk about clever parents, accomplished attorneys, talented writers, performers, and athletes who were immobilized by clutter.

I could notice their mental and physiological changes after an evening of working together. Many felt more at ease with the broad environment, and they spoke of surprising bursts of inspiration. They gained momentum in places where they were stymied, giving birth to optimism, vision, and passion for what was essential.

We can psychologically prepare for other tasks by decluttering

You can accomplish this in three ways:

1. It makes physical space available for us to participate in the activity.

2. It gives us a sense of accomplishment, which leads to motivation.

3. It helps us think about or plan the action in which we will participate.

If, by chance, you have ADHD, two rules can assist you in honing your focus: Set a timer to clear the space required for your present project and try to focus solely on it. You want to avoid the trap of making the organizing or clearing process stop you from doing the goal activity—remember, you are only staging the space to do that particular activity.

Is it true that a clean environment equals a clear mind?

Removing clutter is not the secret to a calm, ready-to-focus mind. When guests come over for supper, and you merely move the mess to the spare bedroom as a temporary remedy, the notion of your newly congested place does not leave your mind. Even if everything is sorted, arranged, and gorgeous, many individuals may live an overcommitted life and feel swamped by other things—people, ideas, continual activity. A well-organized workspace can help you succeed, but it is not the secret to creative joy.

Evaluate how this action of cleaning or minor procrastination influences your life while deciding whether or not to spend time "setting the scene" before and do whatever brings your heart content. For some, being structured is all about being productive. Others value neatness or the ability to find what they need when they need it.

If your cleaning causes you to sabotage yourself (missing doctor's appointments, reducing social activities, or being late to work or school), throw aside the mop, brush, or sponge. Remain aware of your pre-activity steps the next time you're ready to start a new project. Do you have a strong desire to clean? If this is the case, consider whether the act is an essential element of your strategy or unneeded procrastination. If you have any doubts, seize the opportunity to finish up fast or drop the broom right away.