Have you ever tried to go to sleep, but couldn’t stop the racing thoughts? Woke up in a panic wondering if you forgot something on your to-do list? Tried to remember if you paid a bill? Put off calling the dentist?
Our brains are constantly asking questions, and the reality is that we often don’t have the bandwidth to remember all of the things. What is for dinner tonight? Did I really say that in the meeting today? Will I need to convince mom and dad to move into an assisted living facility? Where should our next vacation be? Was I supposed to bring something to my child’s school today? Will my business survive in this economy? The list goes on and on.
Let’s look at some ways to help you clear some mental clutter.
1. Write everything down on paper (or make notes in your phone)
You know all of those thoughts we discussed at the beginning? Grab a piece of paper and write down all the thoughts that are running through your brain right now.
Group similar items together on your list and decide if everything is necessary. For example, do you want to attend that party? Do you want to bake something for the meeting, or is it easier to grab something from Publix? Can you delegate any of the items?
Feel free to cross off anything that you don’t want to do and delegate when you can. For everything else, make a plan to get stuff done.
2. Figure out if you are a paper or digital planner kind of person
* A combination is fine, just don’t stress yourself out by feeling like you have to fill out two calendars.
Write down all of the birthdays, anniversaries, etc., that you have coming up. Add reminders on your calendar a couple of weeks before the events so you can purchase a gift or card. Set another reminder the day of to call or text a special message.
Call and schedule doctor appointments if you haven’t already done so (annual physical, dentist, ob/gyn, dermatologist, eye doctor, etc.) Now, add all of the appointments to your calendar, and (you guessed it!) add reminders to your phone.
Call and schedule any other appointments you want to add to your calendar- hair and nail appointments, auto maintenance, etc.
Call or text family and friends to set up a time to get together and block off that time on your calendar.
3. Set up autopay
Put as many bills as you can on autopay.
Schedule time each week or month to look over your finances.
4. Make it legal
Make sure that your insurance policies, wills, and estate documents are all up to date.
Look over your investments and see if anything should be changed.
5. Find a meal plan that works for you
This may mean rotating the same meals, carry-out, a delivery service… whatever works for you. Don’t be afraid to change this up if something isn’t working well. If you love to meal prep, do it. If you hate to meal prep, buy the pre-cut fruits and veggies or pre-made meals. Whatever will work for you and your lifestyle is the way to go.
6. Make time for fun
Make sure that you are blocking time off for fun. This could mean meeting up with friends, getting outside to hike or kayak, reading, or taking a bubble bath. Whatever you enjoy, make sure that you are setting time aside each week for fun.
I hope this frees up mental space, so you can focus on the things that you enjoy. If you are feeling stressed by physical clutter, you may want to check out this blog post. If you have any questions, I am always here to help!
