Clarity through Clarity

(Time to read: 2 minutes)

Most of us don’t realize how much our tension increases with every additional item in our visual field. And yet my clients report significant results from implementing this one tip!

Here are 3 quick and easy things that you could do by the end of the day – to improve your mental peace and clarity by reducing the amount of visual detail in your environment:

  1. In each room that you spend extended time in, choose at least one table or other surface within your line of site when you are sitting in your usual location. Clear it off each day before you sit down, and spend 30 seconds or so just enjoying the emptiness.There is something peaceful about a clear surface – can’t you just feel your shoulders relaxing?
    .
  2. Clear your computer screen at the end of the day – and more often through your day when you can. (I have a sign on the outside of my laptop that reads “Is your screen clear?” to remind me of this when I close my computer at the end of the day.) There is nothing that signals “I get to choose how I start my day” like seeing a clear computer screen.
    .
  3. If you keep things on your desk (as I do), group items so that your eye sees them as a single object, rather than many smaller items. For example, put pens and pencils in a tray or cup. Or, I have a stacking tray on my desk that holds file folders, hanging folders, and blank paper – because my eye sees the stack as a single item rather than 20 separate items.

Larger-Scale “Clarity” Projects

  • If you store multiple objects under a table, consider covering it with a cloth, so that your eye sees the whole thing as a single object.
    .
  • Group related objects in appropriately-sized boxes or trays. In addition to reducing visual detail, this can also help to make things tidier, and reduce time and effort in cleaning the area where the boxes are stored. It can also make it much easier and more pleasant to clear out the items in the boxes that aren’t needed – because you can move the whole thing to a comfortable chair for sorting.
    .
  • Once or twice a year, take time to clear out your desk and other places you spend a lot of time. I like to take everything off or out of the space I’m clearing, and then identify what really needs to go back. I store the things I’ve removed but still need (or might need) out of sight in a less accessible location.
    .
  • Put solid doors on open shelf units. You will be able to store just as much, and it will be just as accessible, but your eyes will see one single, smooth surface, rather than a visual jumble of multiple shapes, sizes, and colours.

What other ways can you think of to reduce the visual detail (clutter?) you see – and decrease your stress level?

Warmly,
🙂
Glenda

Comments are closed.