Where to reduce clutter in your life? 3 Tips for a More Stress-Free Life

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Where can you reduce clutter in your life?
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Trash is treasure – you’ve heard that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. So how do you decide what to remove and what to keep? We can reduce clutter in every aspect and place of our lives, from objects that get in the way to thoughts and people that take up unnecessary space.

For certain, if you reduced the clutter in your life, you would have a more stress-free life. So here are three tips on how to get started on removing some of that weight from your day-to-day living.

Tip 1: Define your clutter and gain some space

Some people like a messy workspace because it boosts creative thinking. Or they keep objects because of the memories attached to them. Having a past and inspiration is a good thing. Or you might be the opposite and your desk is always organized and you’ll never find crumbs on your kitchen table. All your clothes and shoes are organized by color. Keeping pristine is also a good thing.

If you can find the things you need, like your house keys, or the TV remote, or that matching sock, you’re organized in your own way. As long as your life is not a hazard to your health, like that big stack of boxes in the hallway that might topple anytime and injure you. Or photos that evoke painful memories and affect your mental health. In that case, maybe it’s time to let things go.

No matter how you keep yourself organized, one rule to try is this: if you haven’t used that item before its expiry date, it’s time to toss it. This rule applies to old clothes and anything in your attic. If you haven’t used it in five years or you didn’t remember you had it, maybe it’s time to clear it out.

Reducing clutter is hard, but it can also be rewarding as you gain space in your home, and you feel lighter because you’ve gotten rid of memories that weigh you down.

Tip 2: Remove clutter that restricts growth

Clutter can restrict your growth. You can trap yourself in your past. Just because you dressed a certain way for years doesn’t mean you have to have the same look or style tomorrow. Changing things up can refresh your life, especially if you’re feeling like you’re spinning in a rut. Time to rearrange furniture, get rid of extra belongings, and create a new phase in your existence.

It’s time to rid yourself of the clutter in your brain: toxic thoughts like imposter syndrome. Whose thoughts are living rent-free in your head? A co-worker who keeps saying you’ll never get the promotion? A relative who keeps asking you when you’ll accomplish something in your life?

Remove the mental clutter by setting small goals. If there’s a big project looming in your life, start with something small, like setting up the files for the project. It’s a small achievement, but you’re one step further ahead than yesterday. Complete big projects by finishing smaller tasks a bit at a time and the big project won’t be so impossible. It’s one way to slowly remove the mental clutter caused by negative thoughts.

Tip 3: Remove toxic people

People can be clutter too. Toxic coworkers or a toxic boss won’t help with your career. Make an escape plan. Sometimes you just need to quit right away, other times your financial situation requires you to be patient while you search for another job.

Spend less time with toxic family members. Reconsider toxic friendships. Crabs in a bucket will pull at each other and keep each other down. Escape may not be easy. Make new friends, and build a new network to offset the toxic one. These new connections can also help to find a new job, lift you up by being there for you, or give you advice on how to change your life.

Key Takeaways

You can reduce the clutter in your life in several ways. By reducing clutter in your home or workspace, you’ll reorganize and refresh your surroundings. By assessing your mental load and your relationships, and reducing negativity, you’ll open doors to improved relationships and connections, and positive thinking.

What do you do to reduce the clutter in your life?

What I’d give you if I won the lottery

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What would you do if you won the lottery?
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What would you do if you won the lottery? Would you spend it all or would you give it all away? For sure, I wouldn’t do what most expect and here’s why.

I discovered some interesting statistics about lottery wins of significant amounts. There is a myth that most people go broke after going on a spending spree and purchasing whatever their heart desires. The truth is, these types of dramatic stories make for catchy news. The reality is a bit different.

For example, you’ll find a statistic like this in USA Today: “Nearly one-third of lottery winners eventually go bankrupt within three to five years, which is more likely than the average American.” Stories about rags to riches and back to rags are like a tale warning us to stay away from excessive spending and unwise long-term planning. There is also conflicting research.

Studies have contradicted such dramatic myths. Researchers found that “all else being equal, money is associated with greater life satisfaction and well-being. Of course, money on its own may not bring happiness.” The studies found that winners did not throw away their wealth on “extravagant purchases.”

So before you win, ask yourself, “What’s your plan?” Do you want your life to change for the better after you win a huge sum? 

Will there be a moment when the clock strikes midnight and your fortune disappears? If so, then indulge in all manner of extravagance! Buy mansions, buy luxury vehicles, like the $18 million lottery winner who spent all his winnings in ten years and returned to his old job. Your fortune will disappear quickly enough.

If not, spend wisely, learn about investing, and enjoy a whole new level of lifestyle. The research found that more money can mean a better life if you live within your new means. Certainly, if you don’t have to worry about everyday expenses anymore, life can be incrementally more fun and relaxing!

You might have watched the movie It Can Happen to You, which is based on the true story of a police officer who promised half his lottery ticket winnings to a waitress as a tip because he didn’t have enough change. In the movie, the characters became millionaires who had the time of their lives spending their winnings on making complete strangers happy.

For certain, if I hit the jackpot, I would do the same and buy things for people – paying it forward – as the expression goes.

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you do with all the extra cash?

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5 Leadership Tips for Self Improvement

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What makes a good leader?
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It’s easy to be a bad leader, but it’s more challenging to be a good one. You don’t need formal training to be a good leader, just some practical experience and the critical understanding that you should treat others how you want to be treated. And if you want to be the best leader you can, you’ll always be learning about self improvement. Here are some tips on what makes a good leader to get you started.

Here’s what a good leader does well:

1 Leads by example

A good leader is very hands on. How else can you thoroughly understand the challenges that your team is facing, or how long it takes to complete a task if you haven’t worked on it yourself? Also, if the leader wants their team to work hard, the leader must work hard. The leader leads by example. 

Even if the task is something you cannot do on your own, by working side by side with your team, you will see who gets the job done most efficiently, who leads others, and who is always eager to learn. Now you know the strengths and weaknesses of your team by working with them.

2 Asks questions and does not make demands

A good leader has an open mind. Instead of telling the team to finish the work by Friday, ask if they can complete it by Friday. This question gives them the opportunity to raise concerns and bring awareness to possible roadblocks.

If a mistake is made, a good leader doesn’t make assumptions or immediately blame someone. A good leader points out the mistake and explains what needs to be fixed. They’ll ask what happened to find out what could have caused the error. The first suspect may not be the cause. Then, the leader works with the team to figure out a way to prevent the mistake from happening again.


3 Adjusts their leadership style

A good leader understands that one leadership style does not fit all. Some people need more support than others, especially if they are new to the job. This is not the same as micromanaging. The leader may need to show a new employee once how to do a task, and expect that person to be more independent the second time. 

Some team members are more social and prefer more team interaction. And some are less social and like to be left alone to complete their tasks. The team leader must find a way for the team to work together while respecting everyone’s working preferences.

4 Checks in with the team individually

A good leader regularly checks in with each team member individually. The leader provides feedback on the team member’s performance and asks how they support the team member in their professional growth. What courses would this person like to take?

They also see each person as an individual. By taking the time to talk with each person one-on-one, they will have a better idea about how to support that team member. That person may need time off to take their kids to appointments so they will need a more flexible schedule, for example. 

5 Is never the smartest person in the room

It can be tough on the ego if you aren’t the smartest person in the room. However, a leader should never be the smartest person in the room. 

A leader can depend on a strong team with various areas of expertise to collaborate to get a job done. A leader can still be effective if they are always learning from their team or finding opportunities to learn together. A person who is always learning is always growing. 

A person who knows that there is something they don’t know will always be humble and open-minded.

These are all the traits of a good leader.

Let’s Un-invent the Handshake

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If you could un-invent something, what would it be?
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If you could un-invent something, what would it be?

It’s a competition and it’s awkward. Those are just two reasons I would un-invent this one thing that most people in the world consider as polite interaction.

Let’s find ourselves a time machine and travel all the way back to ancient Greece, ancient Babylon, and ancient Rome, when handshaking was practiced. Then let’s remove all memory of the first handshake! It was a form of greeting, like tipping a hat, or showing that you weren’t carrying hidden weapons.

Let’s un-invent the handshake! I’m more in favor of the courteous bow for many reasons. 

1 Handshakes reveal a power imbalance

Enough of men seizing my hand and squeezing so hard that my small fingers become crunched together in a triangular shape, reminiscent of the painful process of Chinese foot-binding. My sole impression of this person is pain. Do those men have no control over their bodies? Do they grab a sandwich with the same force as pulling a car?

I also question the intention of men who immediately twist my wrist to the side like we’re arm wrestling, so that his hand is on top as he shakes my hand. Why the gestures of dominance? Handshakes were a form of greeting, not a moment to show who’s the boss.

And on the other end of the spectrum, I feel so domineering when I shake a woman with a spaghetti grip: the kind of grip where her fingers are like limp string.

2 Handshakes are awkward

On more than one occasion, I’ve been sitting in an air-conditioned room, or just stepped in from the cold, and my hands are freezing. I can see the other person trying to look polite and calm (and not electrified) as I offer them my ice cube hand. 

Let’s not forget about the times when an introduction takes place at an awkward moment. For example, when I wash my hands in the company kitchen and a coworker introduces me to a new employee before I can find the towel. Awkward! Damp-skin handshake after I do a quick pat down on my own clothes.

Or the time you watch someone enter the room and touch door handles, sneeze and use a tissue, and grab a sticky muffin. Then the meeting starts, and handshakes are exchanged. If you’re germophobic, do you now use your handshake hand to grab a muffin from the table too?

What do you think? Do you like the handshake as a form of greeting?

Do You Think About the Future or the Past?

Daily writing prompt
Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?
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You can tell someone’s age by how much they think about the future or the past.

I’ve noticed that teenagers and people in their twenties talk about the future as if there is a lot of time ahead of them. They have post-secondary education goals, first career-related job discussions, and first romantic relationships. They ask questions such as: How do I start my career? How do I know if he likes me? How do I know if she’s my future spouse? Where should I travel? The world seems new and they want to try things out and explore it. Sometimes they act like they are invincible. They have memories of childhood, school, and first-time life experiences.

People who have reached middle age seem to talk equally about the future and the past. They realize they shouldn’t waste what time they have left. Either they are at the peak of their career and financial stability or they plan to get there soon. Their children are grown or will be grown. They are thinking about retirement plans. Fighting the aging process themselves while taking care of aging parents. Behind them, they have more memories and years than they did in their twenties. They remember friendships and romances that didn’t work out. They’ve been to weddings and funerals. They fondly remember what it was like to be young and invincible back when they didn’t hear of so many tragedies. Most importantly, they feel empowered by their life experience.

Seniors talk about the past a lot. They reminisce about how life used to be, how much things used to cost, and all the wonderful memories of the people they had known and the places they had been over the years. Their memories are like a finished book that they can open and read. They value the preciousness of time because the chances they had to accomplish what they could are mostly behind them. Seniors in their 90s and 100s value each additional morning because they don’t know how many more of them they have remaining.

So to return to the question, “Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past?” I think it depends on the individual, but certainly, your age affects how long the path stretches ahead of you and how far it goes behind you.

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