Scrub away your problems – Benefits of a clean environment
Let’s face it… CLEANING SUCKKKSSS!! Shout it from the mountain tops if you agree with me!
Cleaning is the bane of every. single. human. being’s. existence. Including mine, and likely yours. That is unless you are Monica from Friends.
However, the benefits of a clean environment may outweigh the downsides of the actual act of cleaning.
The Benefits | When to Take a Break
The Benefits of a Clean Environment
Improves Focus
We’ve all been working on homework or work work and been surrounded by piles of dirty laundry, a sink filled with dishes, and trinkets laying in every crevice of our space… right? Okay the trinkets may just be me. Either way, a cluttered environment can have negative impacts on your focus by cluttering your brain with thoughts of the task of cleaning. The to do list of cleaning chores is often times one of the reasons that many folks avoid that list.
It’s that weird cycle, right? You want to clean because your to do list is long, but you don’t want to clean because the length of the list stresses you out. I’ve been there wayyyy more times than I can count.
I personally prefer to go into focus mode in an environment that is soothing, quiet, and clean. For example, my favorite times to do my homework at home growing up was when my mom was cleaning the kitchen. There was always a yummy smelling candle burning, a clear, clean kitchen counter to work at, and mom was there to support me if I needed any help.
Now, I try to create the same vibes when I need to focus. I light a candle or use a warm colored light at my desk, I turn on some light focus music (I specifically like this playlist), and I work at a clutter-free space. It works well every time.
Stress Buster
Existing in a cluttered, dirty environment can have many negative effects on your mental health, including an increase in stress, anxiety, and depression. When speaking in an interview with the American Psychological Association, Dn. Joseph Ferrari explained,
Listeners and readers of my work will find that we found that there’s a negative correlation between life satisfaction and clutter. So the more clutter you have, the lower people report life satisfaction. Greater the stress. So here we are living in this consumer culture, but more and more, more. Buy, buy, buy. Well, you’re actually not living a good complete life because you’ll be less satisfied.
As Dn. Ferrari highlights, American and otherwise western consumer culture has created an excuse for people to exist in spaces that cause them loss of focus, stress, and other mental and even physical symptoms. We buy and buy for hits of dopamine, but when we come home, we regret having bought things we don’t need because they clutter our space.
In my own life, I notice that the items that clutter my home the most tend to be stationary. I don’t need new pens every year. I don’t need to buy my fourth pack of Mildliner highlighters (although I suggest having at least one pack, especially if you’re a student or you utilize highlighters in your work). And I definitely don’t need an eighth notebook that will never actually get used. Fighting against convincing advertisements can be hard, but it may also be worth the struggle in the long run if you can avoid mental and physical health symptoms that connect to a cluttered space.
All in all, a lack of stress, anxiety, depression, etc. is a HUGE benefit of a clean environment.
Relaxing Environment
Piedmont Health interviewed Dennis Buttimer, M.Ed, CEAP, RYT, CHC, a life and wellness coach at one of their Cancer Wellness centers, and explained the importance of taking small steps towards your decluttering goals.
Even small progress can reduce stress and anxiety. “When you get an area organized, it’s almost like your body relaxes and you can exhale,” Buttimer says. “And when the body is relaxed, you’re at your best.”
If you’re like me, you probably struggle to clean for even a short amount of time every day. Especially if you are neurodivergent, or if you struggle with executive dysfunction, even seemingly simple tasks such as wiping down the counters or loading the dishwasher can be overwhelming for us.
I’ve noticed in my personal life that my mind does not allow me to form habits. I’ve tried time and time again to make certain tasks such as brushing my teeth, washing my face, and cleaning up after myself habitual. However, because of how my brain is wired, I see all of these tasks as energy-consuming to do list items. So, to mediate that, I have to be very intentional about the time I spend ensuring my mind, body, and environment are running well and benefiting me.
Sense of Accomplishment
You and I both know that feeling. Right after you get done panic cleaning your house before your friends come over for dinner? Frantically sweeping and vacuuming in preparation for a maintenance worker to come over?
It feels awesome. Sure, maybe you’re a little stressed from cleaning the whole space in an hour, but existing in a newly clean space feels SO GOOD!
And that’s yet another great benefit of a clean environment – the sense of accomplishment that comes with a clean, clutter-free space. If it interests you, invest in some nice cleaning tools such as Scrub Daddy sponges or arm length dish gloves to make cleaning less overstimulating and overwhelming.
Cleaning a Clean Space
A great way to prioritize cleaning is by doing it in small increments.
Imagine your home the dirtiest it’s ever been. Yeah, 15 minutes of cleaning probably won’t do a lot to that space, and you may need to spend a day or two cleaning everything. However, if your home is getting cleaned even a little bit on a daily basis, your home is going to stay MUCH cleaner than it otherwise would.
No, you don’t need to have a cleaning schedule or a chore chart. But, you do need to spend a little bit of time creating a relaxing, clutter-free environment for you and your family, partner, or roommates.
Allocating 5, 10, or 15 minutes to clearing space in your home daily can drastically change the overall vibe of the room and the way that you feel. If it helps you, set a timer. As soon as that timer goes off, you don’t have to clean for the rest of the day. Or maybe you do a pomodoro timer, which you can read about in my post titled “Self care sunday – Get rid of your Sunday scaries.”
When to Take a Break
While there are many benefits of a clean environment, getting that environment clean can feel really overwhelming and overstimulating. If you find yourself getting frustrated, upset, irritated, or angry about the cleaning process, it may be time to take a step back for a few minutes.
Remember, you can always come back to it. It’s more important to prioritize your mental and emotional well being than it is to do that cleaning task right in this moment.
Take care of yourself lovelies, tata!