Stress Management – Part Three

May 19th, 2009
No Comments »

When one puts blinders on a horse, the affect is tunnel vision. The horse sees only that which is directly in front of him. The same is true for people. You may practice “selective hearing;” effectively “tuning out” that which you do not want to hear or feel you cannot handle. You may also have selective vision that helps you to ignore or virtually block out that which overwhelms you or drains you of energy.

These coping mechanisms may seem to work in your favor, but what you are actually doing is training your mind to see and hear less and less. Is it any wonder so many people need glasses and hearing aids? And, guess what? Blocking out your surroundings on a daily basis requires a tremendous amount of physical, mental, and emotional energy. Here are some of the ways that clutter and disorganization can affect your quality of life:

Having Clutter Can Make You Feel Tired and Lethargic: If you are living with clutter, chances are you do not have the energy needed to tackle it. That is because stagnant energy accumulates around clutter, causing fatigue and lethargy. Just looking at the clutter probably makes you feel tired and overwhelmed. Here is the good news…getting rid of the clutter will release pent up energy and revitalize your mind and body.

Having Clutter Can Keep You in the Past: When all of your available space is filled with memorabilia or “I might need it someday” clutter, there is no room for anything new to come into your life. Your thoughts tend to dwell in the past, and you feel bogged down with old issues and problems. Clearing your clutter allows you to breathe new life into your environment, clear away the cobwebs in your mind and begin to move forward. In order to create a better tomorrow, you must first release yesterday.

Having Clutter Can Affect Your Body Weight: Peter Walsh’s recently published book called, Does this clutter make my butt look fat? addresses the link between clutter and obesity. Body fat and clutter are both forms of self-protection. Layers of fat or clutter can become your safeguard against the shocks of life and serve to cushion you from the emotional issues you feel incapable of handling. Both provide a false sense of control. Clutter may also prevent you from preparing nutritional meals at home, making take-out, delivery, or restaurant dining habitual.

Having Clutter Can Confuse You: It is impossible to maintain clarity in your life when you are surrounded by clutter. Decision-making is more difficult because you cannot think clearly. When clutter is removed, so are the mental obstacles. Important life decisions become easier. Creating space in your environment automatically gives you the space in your mind to discover and manifest the life you really want.

Having Clutter Can Isolate You and Make You Feel Ashamed: Perhaps your home is so cluttered and messy that you are ashamed to invite people over and panic if someone shows up unannounced. Living like this is stressful and lonely. Why not decide to clear out the junk, feel good about yourself and your home, and regenerate your social life with confidence?

An Organizer's Blog

Tags: , , , , , ,

Stress-Management Series – Part Two

May 19th, 2009
No Comments »

We all have physical, emotional, and mental reactions to stress. The problem is that these “triggers” are so automatic and have been with us for so long that we barely notice them, much less link them to stress. This simple exercise uses both your mind and your body to raise your awareness of how you carry stress.

Have someone read the following questions to you. Ask him or her to read each sentence slowly and allow you plenty of time to think about it before going on to the next sentence. Sit or lie down and get comfortable. Close your eyes and take a moment to notice where you feel tension or anxiety in your body. Do not answer the questions aloud – just think about them.

  • Do you feel tension in your head?
  • Do you feel tightness in your forehead, jaw, or chin?
  • Do you feel tightness in your neck, shoulders, or anywhere else?
  • Is your heart rate speeding up?
  • Is your face flushed?
  • Does your body temperature feel unusually hot or cold?
  • Do you notice yourself holding your breath, sighing, scratching yourself a lot, grinding your teeth, or clenching your fists?
  • Do you feel a knot in your stomach? Or, do you notice more subtle reactions?
  • Is your mind racing or going blank?
  • Are you having trouble concentrating or being still?

Make a note of these physical messages. When you feel the tension, breathe deeply into that area of your body, hold the breath for a few seconds, then breath out and relax. As you practice this exercise, you will increase your ability to identify and relieve the tension in your muscles and achieve an enhanced feeling of relaxation.

In Part Three of this series, I will talk about how your physical environment can add to or relieve the stress in your life.

An Organizer's Blog

Tags: , , , , ,

Stress-Management Series – Part One

May 19th, 2009
No Comments »

There is no escaping stress in our daily lives. In fact, much of the stress we experience is actually good for us. It increases the flow of blood to our muscles, including the heart, makes us more alert, and pushes us to excel. Bob Hope once said that he never got over being nervous (stressed) before appearing on stage.

One of the biggest, perhaps most widely misunderstood stressors, is clutter. Human beings need a certain amount of physical space in order to expand their thinking – “outside the box.” If their physical space is limited by piles of “to-dos,” their vision and mind contract and go inward. Keeping the blinders on while trying to work or relax is very stressful and ultimately exhausting, whether consciously recognized or not.

The key to effective stress-management is understanding the dynamics of stress and increasing our awareness of our own, individual stress-response patterns.

I would like to begin this series with a brief explanation of the 4 main stress categories: Eustress, Distress, Hyperstress, and Hypostress. Here is an easy way to differentiate between them:

Eustress: This is a positive form of stress. Eustress is a natural physical reaction that prepares your mind and body for the immediate challenges it perceives. Blood flow to the muscles increases, resulting in a higher heart rate. Eustress works well for athletes before a competition or a manager before a major presentation because it gives them the inspiration and strength they need to excel.

Distress: We all recognize this as a negative form of stress. It occurs when there are deviations from the norm and your mind and body are unable to cope with the changes. Distress can be categorized into acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is intense, but does not last for long. On the other hand, chronic stress persists over a long period of time. Trigger events for distress can be moves (particularly those that require downsizing), chronic disorganization, and any change in the scope of a job or routine.

Hyperstress: This is another form of negative stress that occurs when you overwhelmed by your work-load. Examples include highly stressful jobs, which require longer working hours than you feel you can handle. If you suffer from hyperstress, you may have sudden emotional breakdowns over insignificant issues. It is important to recognize that your body needs a break, or you may end up with severe and chronic physical and psychological conditions.

Hypostress: Hypostress occurs when you have nothing to do with your time and feel constantly bored and unmotivated. This is due to an insufficient amount of stress. Hypostress decreases productivity and mindfulness. Hypostress is indemic in people who have boring, repetitive jobs.

Stay tuned for updates to this blog. In Part Two, I will show you how to become more aware of your own body’s response to stress.

An Organizer's Blog

Tags: , , , , ,

Too Much Stuff or Not Enough Space?

April 27th, 2009
No Comments »

Thurston-Mason Senior News
Published: June 16, 2008

A driven professional with a demanding career, Janet, 57, spends most of her time and energy acclimating to a new job in a new city. Settling into her new apartment is going at a snail’s pace – the last thing she wants to do after a long day at the office is unpack boxes. To make matters worse, her new home is severely lacking in storage space. Many of her personal items will have to remain in boxes until she finds the time to create new storage solutions. Janet is tired of searching for things; she wants to get rid of the clutter and knows she needs help to finally get organized

Helen, 78, needs to move into assisted living following medical complications she suffered after a recent surgery. Her only daughter, Carol, lives 800 miles away and, due to her own family and career obligations, she is unable to make the trip to Seattle to help her mother with the move. This means Helen has to rely on whatever local assistance is available.

Margaret, 85, and her fiancée John, 92, plan to downsize from 2 one-bedroom apartments to 1 one-bedroom apartment when they move in together after their wedding in October. Having no room for two lifetimes worth of belongings in their new home, Margaret and John need help letting go of some of their past to make room for their new life together.

Buyers and Savers and Hoarders, Oh My!

Ask any realtor or house cleaner and they will tell you that, no matter the size of the home, most Americans have garages, attics, basements, and/or common living spaces crammed with clutter. According to a Boston Marketing Firm study, the average American burns 2 months a year looking for things they have, but can’t find.Can’t remember where you stored last-year’s Christmas lights? Buy new ones! Misplaced that electric bill? Pay a late fee! Hammer nowhere to be found? Borrow the neighbor’s!

So exactly why do we accumulate so much stuff? Why would we rather ignore the growing clutter than throw things away? And how do we regain control over our possessions?

Though there are those for whom the need to accumulate material possessions, or “hoard,” can run to the extreme, the majority of clutter cases fall into two main categories: Poor time management (“there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done”) and a rationale often referred to as the Depression-Era Mentality (“Don’t throw that away – we might need it someday!”). And although people of all age groups are affected by clutter at some point during their lives, the number of seniors facing this uphill battle alone is on the rise.

The fact is, adults aged 55 and older are the fastest growing segment of the US population, and represent 40% of the consumerism market in the United States. This is a segment of the population with a lot of buying power, but seldom enough time, energy, or physical strength to manage their belongings. In the case of elderly seniors, some must face having to downsize from a home in which they’ve lived for 30, 40, even 50 years, to a smaller, more efficient apartment or condominium, a prospect that can be both emotional and overwhelming.And if they have no family or local support system, the task can seem downright impossible.

Who Can You Call?

Fortunately, there is help. In the effort to downsize and streamline their lives, many people are now seeking the help of Professional Organizers and Senior Move Managers. For those unfamiliar with these occupations, they are professionals whose job (nay, their passion?) is to help people with tasks such as packing, moving, unpacking, sorting, organizing, donating and situating the belongings they have accumulated over the years.

But good organizers go beyond the task itself. Quality Professional Organizers don’t clean, they transform, working closely with their client to create peaceful, personalized living spaces. Through the entire process they provide judgment-free encouragement and support, they keep their client upbeat and focused on the outcome, and they leave their client with a sense of relief, joy and elation.

Denial Ain’t Just A River

At this point you may be unsure as to whether or not you need professional help to gain control over your belongings. You may be thinking that your clutter isn’t all that bad – certainly not as bad as so-called “hoarders.” Well, here are a few questions to ask yourself, the answers to which may clear things up for you:

  1. Do I feel relaxed and at peace in my home?
  2. Am I proud to invite others into my home?
  3. I’m moving soon – do I have everything organized and under control?
  4. If the power goes out can I navigate my home without tripping or falling on clutter?
  5. In an emergency, can I quickly locate important papers and memorabilia?
  6. Does my one car fit in my two-car garage?

If you answered “NO” to any of these questions, it might be time to give that Professional Organizer in your neighborhood a call.

Elain Carroll, owner of Habitat For Your Sanity, is a Professional Organizer and a Certified Relocation and Transition Specialist (CRTS), located in Olympia, WA. Habitat for Your Sanity is a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) and the National Association of Professional Organizers.

For more information about how Habitat For Your Sanity can help you, contact Elain at 360-866-0928 or visit the Habitat For Your Sanity website at www.habitatforyoursanity.com.

Published Articles

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,