Have you ever noticed what effects cleaning has on you? Studies have actually shown that there is a surprising correlation between clutter and mental health. Here is a closer look at the effects of cleaning your home on your psyche:
The negative effect of clutter and mess
You might agree that cleanliness is next to Godliness! Regular cleaning ensures discipline, orderliness, and hygiene. Also, research has shown that lack of cleaning negatively affects your mental health.
Clutter may contribute to depression.
A study proved that people who live in orderliness have lesser chances of being tired and depressed than those who live in a mess. Moreover, procrastinating cleaning leads to increased cortisol, the stress hormone, levels.
Clutter may lead to decreased focus.
Another study proved that disorderliness interferes with your concentration since your brain interprets mess as unfinished business and causes you to worry. Also, clutter is linked to negative emotions such as anger, irritability, and confusion. Thus, completing your projects becomes even more complex and tiring! An organized home gives you feelings of calmness and stability. Also, an orderly environment will give you more time for other tasks in your life and enable you to enjoy it!
Benefits of cleaning and decluttering
You might not believe it, but a clean and orderly home has many positive effects on your mental health.
Cleaning can benefit physical health.
The regular, thorough cleaning of your home is a fantastic exercise for your body! You must be aware that doctors recommend daily exercise for our well-being. Therefore, you can replace exercising with your cleaning routine as it similarly affects your physical health.
You are in control of your environment when you clean.
Sometimes, problems challenge us and make our lives out of control! Unfortunately, when you struggle with your issues, you tend to procrastinate your house chores, leaving you with incomplete projects! Try to overcome this attitude. You might find that the repetitive acts of cleaning allow your mind to wander and gives you the opportunity to reflect on your obstacles and find solutions for them! In other words, cleaning gives you a sense of control over your home environment!
Cleaning improves your mood.
The sight of a neat room calms you down and makes you feel happy when you are stressed. In addition, the repetitive acts of cleaning distract your mind and also decrease your jitters, only to put you in a better mood. After cleaning is complete, you get a sense of accomplishment, inspiring you to feel more positive about your life!
Decluttering increases your focus.
When you accumulate your house chores, you start worrying, which limits your brain’s ability to process information. Therefore to break this vicious cycle, you need to work in an organized environment. Hence, you will focus better and become more productive! I always declutter my workspace in my office to cut off distractions and concentrate better on my projects!
How to incorporate cleaning into your life?
Should cleaning be a priority when you have other stressful issues or big responsibilities to shoulder? It depends on how important the cleaning task is for you to function peacefully. Here are some ideas to organize your cleaning.
Start small
You can break down your time-consuming cleaning tasks into smaller daily cleaning sessions. Moreover, you can set a timer to be more precise in saving time! You can also organize each task for a different day. For instance, you can clean your kitchen one day and do your laundry the next!
Involve others
When you are expected to give the majority of your time and effort to specific vital tasks, you can ask for help from your family and friends for cleaning! For instance, if you have a newborn baby to look after, you can ask your relatives to assist you in your chores for a better balance! I am grateful to my parents, who take care of my home when I need to deal with complicated projects at work!
Get outside help
Nowadays, there are numerous cleaning companies at your service. Hiring somebody to do your cumbersome cleaning tasks at home is a fantastic idea! Moreover, it will save you lots of time and spare you from fatigue! In addition, you can simplify your cleaning with electrical appliances such as a sophisticated vacuum cleaner.
Do not let cleaning become a compulsion.
Cleaning is a great activity to de-stress and discipline yourself, but you should not obsess about it! For instance, you might have developed a compulsion if you cancel your get-togethers with friends or run late for work because of incomplete cleaning. Likewise, obsessive cleaning might also become a hindrance to your physical health. If this happens, speak to a professional.
Organizing your cleaning correctly allows you to manage your work-life and family life without any tension. You can also keep fit and healthy without spending lots of money! So, what effects does cleaning have on you? Please share your comments below!
