Cleaning Out Your [Mental] Laundry

It's time to clean out your subconscious closet that's stuffed to the brim with to-dos. You know what I'm talking about, those thoughts that run through your head; “I should do that,” “we need to fix this,” or “I should change…” and instead of acting on it at that moment (because that's not always feasible) we stuff it in our brain closet. It's out of sight quite literally, but it's never out of mind, and the more you stuff those unfolded thoughts away, the higher chance that doors going to burst open and create chaos (queue S3 Ep48 of SpongeBob). 

I've chosen this career path to support others with their mental load, but that doesn't exclude me from using the same tools. In fact, it's vital that I stick to the same process, if not with a more complex approach as I juggle not only my own load but my clients as well. I check my emails just as often as theirs, execute the same process of inventory whenever we need groceries, and use my calendar just as frequently for my personal tasks.. Do I sound insane yet?

Good, because this isn't just one exercise, it's a lifestyle change. So how do you start? A list. Pop open a notebook, an app, or a piece of a napkin if that's your forte. If you've been reading through my past posts, you're most likely confused as I've shared my hatred for lists, but this is 1 out of 2 instances where I like to use them (the other being groceries). Here's a breakdown that I've found works for me:

The Physical Load

Write down all the physical tasks that are currently on your mind.  I'm talking about all of them. Whether it's vacuuming the home, scheduling that overdue appointment, or simply taking a shower, write that shit down. These are your When and Where's.

One way or another, I'm going to have you pull up a blank page on a notes app, or my personal favorite is pen/paper - that hand to mind connection sorta thing, ya know? - anyway, this process is going to start off by listing out the physical things that take up your day to day. Like write it all down. This is going to be the things like vacuuming my apartment, clipping my cats toe beans, 

The Mental Load

On that same scratch pad, note down the mental tasks. These are the ones that float through as “I should start going to the gym,” “I want to learn more about UX Design,” “I want to change up my style,” or my favorite “WTF am I doing?” These can tie to your physical load but usually start with a What and a Why that don't necessarily have an action linked with the thought yet.

It's Laundry Time

It's a list, hell it may be a couple of pages and that's completely alright. Just like a pile of laundry, it's easier to see what you have to wear once it's folded, so let's start folding! I follow these 3 rules;

Is there a time constraint with this task?

How long does this particular task take me?

On a scale of 1-5, how stressful or anxiety-inducing does this task make me feel?

Vacuuming doesn't need to be done on a specific day for us, it doesn't take a lot of time considering we live in a 960 sq. ft home. However, it does give me some stress when it's not done (who likes stepping on a crunchy carpet? Not me). It hits 2 out of 3 of my rules, so I move it to the lower part of my list. On the other hand, it's tax season, and that particular task hits all 3 of my rules, so that bad boy is sitting at the top. I go through all those tasks I've typed up, and once I have 5-10 of them stationed at the top, I stop. 

Don't freak, you're not tossing the rest that didn't make the cut, save those for later. Our mind is such a powerful thing, but it's also not perfect and has its limitations. Organizing those flying thoughts can be quite daunting, but I promise it'll bring you some much-needed tranquility back into your life than leaving them in disarray. Once you've accomplished that first bundle, visit your list again, restart the process, and don't forget to give yourself credit, even if you have to put that on that damn list!