Clear The Clutter

It is an absolute truth that in order to lose weight and to stay relatively in shape, you must exercise regularly.  Our bodies were designed to be active from the time we were created.  The good news is that it isn't necessary to train like a professional athlete or an Olympian.  Thirty minutes a day is all that is needed to get your heart pumping enough and to grow more blood vessels that will better deliver oxygen to all the cells of your body, leaving you feeling great.  Thirty minutes.  You can find 30 minutes somewhere in your day to do something, so I don't want to hear the excuses.  You don't need to go to a gym.  Thirty minutes of any physical activity is better than nothing.

Now that I've beaten that dead horse enough, on to the topic of this post: clearing the clutter.  One of the most pertinent obstacles that we humans have to overcome is procrastination.  I have no clue why this is such an issue for us, but it is.  Whether you're in school, at work, or just need to get things done in life in general, procrastination seems to always hold you back.  And it gets backed up.  Procrastinating in one area can lead to procrastination in other areas.  Actually, now that I think about it, maybe procrastination has to do with a lack of inspiration.  Maybe someone who is looking for motivation has to deal with the burden of procrastination.  I don't think that someone inspired to do something would have a problem just doing it.

So, what am I getting at?  Well, to put it directly: Clean Your House!  Why?  Because a cluttered house leads to a cluttered mind, which leads to a lack of energy, which leads to you sitting on the couch not doing anything active.  I have found that when my place is neat and organized, there is nothing to stop me from going to get my workout in.  Think about it.  If you come home from work, and the place is a mess, plus you have other errands looming over your head, the last thing on your mind is exercising.  You come home and think, "Gosh, I need to clean this place.  Oh, and I forgot I have to go to the grocery, get the oil changed in my car, return movies to blockbuster, etc., etc.".  You grab a snack and slump on the couch telling yourself you are too exhausted and you'll do it tomorrow.  The only problem is, you come home from work the next day, have the same conversation with yourself, and the cycle repeats, day in and day out.

The solution?  I suggest taking a day, and getting every single errand done that you possibly can.  It may seem a bit daunting, but the feeling afterwards is marvelous!  The reason I say try to do it all at once is simple.  If you're like me (and you may not be), if you do one thing and put other things off, they may stay put off for weeks to come.  For me, I just had do it all at once and be done with it.  Now, as things come up, I try to get them done right away so they don't build up and become a mental burden.  I've found it's a little hard to get started, but once I do, I'm in super cleaning mode and don't stop til it's finished.  The main thing is that you have to plan for it.  Literally pencil it into your day planner for a day when you have a few spare hours.  Now, I know this is harder to do for people who have kids, but I'm sure you can find a way.  If your house looks like the ones on that show "Hoarders", then you'll need a bit more inspiration than this blog can provide.

So, tidy up the house, get those items at the grocery, change the oil in your car, return the movies to blockbuster, buy your significant other a gift, and do whatever else can be done on this day.  Then, when you come home the next day with everything in order, you'll have such a burst of feel good energy that you'll need to run around the block a few times just to dispense it!  It really works.  And when you come back from the physical activity of your choice, you won't have this feeling of a million more things you have to do.  Your mind will be clear!