By: Andrea Teresa Hauser, Office Manager at Hager Design International Inc.
Someone once told me “How you do anything is how you do everything.” I began to ponder that thought which in turn made me rethink my entire life. The first idea that came to mind was organization and order. Sometimes one misses the little steps that need to be taken in life by focusing too much on the desire for the bigger picture, not knowing how to get there. You need to start somewhere. If you begin by decluttering your life, it removes the chaos, and you will begin to see things through a clearer lens.
Have you ever noticed how you feel when you enter a room that is completely disorganized and messy or vice versa the room is minimalist and tidy? Clutter can leave you feeling anxious and stressed while blank space and organization can be restful and calming. Bottom line: Extra stuff is stressful no matter how you slice it.
A cluttered environment has been proven to affect our thinking, leading to distractions, in turn fruitless labor. It's shocking how well one can concentrate and perform tasks in an organized environment. Distractions keep you from achieving your goals and dreams. Take the first step to action by organizing your visual surroundings, from your wardrobe closet and kitchen cupboards to your computer desktop and drawers at the office. You will be amazed at how quickly stress levels are reduced and replaced by feelings of control and satisfaction. When the visual clutter has been removed you regain focus and a clear mind. Don’t overwhelm yourself by tackling your entire home in one go. Begin with one room at a time and set a weekly goal. Sell, donate, or trash items you no longer need or use.
Next, take a look into how you are spending your time and reconsider all of your present commitments. Weed out all the extras that are unproductive and considered a time waster. According to the Cambridge dictionary, a time waster is “an activity that takes a lot of time and does not achieve anything important”. Surfing through social media accounts for hours on end will only lead to comparison, complaining, and essentially dissatisfaction with your life. People only post what they want you to see not what’s really going on in their lives. Establish the important and invaluable obligations that will move you closer to your dream and remove the ones that are driving you further away.
Removing clutter tells the universe you’re ready for change and activates the law of attraction, immediately saying “out with the old and in with the new.” After you create space, the universe attempts to fill it. For example, if you want a new car clean the old one and sell it. If you want new relationships, personal or professional, give up the old ones and create space within your schedule. Open the door to new opportunities and close the door to past ones.
You create your own life and future. Now that the clutter has been removed, what is your vision? Establish clear goals and dreams then identify the steps you need to take to get there. A friend and mentor told me that if you don’t have a clear hand-written long-term vision, you won’t ever complete it. There are a number of free online resources available. My personal favorite, The ProCoach Success System, offers a free Long-Term Vision workbook. This process includes describing the results you want in your life and assists you in creating a plan and system to follow through. Download the Long-Term Vision workbook on The ProCoach Success System website and get started today.
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Andrea Teresa Hauser is the Office Manager and Executive Assistant at Hager Design International Inc., an international interior design firm specializing in hospitality. Andrea can be reached at andreateresa@hagerinc.com