This five minute calming practice will help you to clear your head to declutter. I believe decluttering can be a form of meditation but sometimes you might need some help with the mental chatter before you make a start. I find this practice, grounded in mindfulness, is a great way to get into the headspace I need to tackle something when I am overwhelmed. In fact, it is a great way to ‘get out of your head’ at any time when troubling thoughts are spinning around.
Our stuff (and life!) create stress
When it comes to decluttering, troubling thoughts often arise. In order to be ready to declutter, your mind (and even your body) may need a bit of settling. Our stuff, and all the thoughts we have around it, can create a level of stress. For effective decluttering, it can be helpful to start by reducing some of that stress.
Have you ever gone into your loungeroom and thought that you were going to declutter it only to find you can’t seem to get started because it’s so overwhelming? You’re not alone. Most of us experience this feeling across many areas of life. Life can get crazy! We all have so much stuff going on with work, study, friends, family and running a household.
Finding some calm to take the next step
So, in any scenario where you feel stressed or overwhelmed, this five minute calming practice that I am about to share may bring the calm you need. It may help you feel able to take that first step toward your decluttering or organising goals.
So why not take some time now to try it and connect with yourself? Give your body and mind some space. It really only takes five minutes, although you can extend the practice for any amount of time you like.
The Five Minute Calming Practice
This mindfulness practice is an easy one. It helps you centre yourself by connecting to your senses. Read it through and then give it a go!
To get started, find a nice quiet place. Sit comfortably or lie down if you like. Close your eyes. Bring your attention to your breathing and take five deep breaths. Next, you’ll step through each of your senses. It doesn’t really matter which order you do it, as long as you finish with listening.
What Can You Smell?
Take some time to consider what you can smell. What aromas are there around you? Good or bad! Don’t judge, just notice.
What Can You Feel?
What’s one thing you can feel? Can you feel the breeze on your skin? Or the floor or seat beneath you?
What Can You Taste?
Can you taste anything? It might be a subtle taste from the coffee you had hours ago or there might be stronger tastes because you just ate.
What Can You See?
Open your eyes and take a look around. What do you see? Just stay with observing what you see without trying to label it all or judge it. Just notice.
What Can You Hear?
Close your eyes again and finish this practice by focusing on listening. What can you hear? Take a few moments to listen to the sounds around you. Can you hear your breath? Are there sounds in the room? Are noises coming in from outside? You can sit with this listening for as long as you’d like.
When you’re ready, open your eyes.
What to do with your thoughts through this practice?
Throughout this five minute calming practice, you will have thoughts. This is what minds do. The aim is not to have no thoughts. There is no need to push them away. See if you can, however, just notice them without following them along. See if you can just let them be. Watch them pass through your mind like a cloud in the sky. And remember, there is no right or wrong way to this practice so let go of judgement and evaluations of how you’re doing.
Notice How You Feel Afterwards
After trying this practice, are you feeling a little calmer? Is your mind more at rest? Do you have an increased sense of focus? Do you feel more ready to embark on your next steps? Take a moment to notice how you feel each time you do this practice. Stay curious about how your experience changes over time.
I have personally found this such a helpful practice and offer it to you as something you can try whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed, at work or at home, or when you’re feeling stressed or upset about a situation you are struggling with.
If you find this practice helpful, you might find some of the suggestions I make in another post, Tips to Declutter Your Mind, helpful too.
Okay, over to you… Have you tried this five minute calming practice or something like it? What helps you to calm down and declutter your mind? Share your experiences in the WellSorted Facebook Group.
