The Connection Warren-Watchung Edition Feb/Mar 2019

FEB/MARCH 2019 THE WARREN-WATCHUNG CONNECTION PAGE 57 STRESS-FREE LIFESTYLE TOOLS To Conquer Clutter In The Home and Office By: Patricia Diesel Rarely is clutter recognized as a signifi- cant source of stress in our lives, yet “Eighty-four percent of recently stressed Americans say they worry that their home isn’t clean or organized enough, and within that group, 55 percent called it out as a source of recent stress.” (Huff Post) When dirty dishes are piled, laundry overflows and personal belongings are scattered about, our stress level rises. Trust me when I tell you, clutter & stress is real. It is estimated that over a course of a lifetime, we will spend a total of 3,680 hours or 153 days searching for lost items; phones, keys, eyeglasses and paperwork are at the top of the list. (The Daily Mail) When we are stressed out, it not only creates physical clutter, but it causes mental and body clutter as well. What you may not realize is that stress is inflammatory. Inflammation breaks the mind and body down and leaves us vulnerable to sickness and disease. This is why being organized is so important to our health. Clutter depletes your quality of life and raises the potential for serious health issues. It is one of the major sources of stress and can exacerbate medical con- ditions. When a person is under the influence of a significant amount of clutter, their well-being is compro- mised, leaving them feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, anxious, depressed and even hopeless. These unsettling feelings are not only attached to the person who is strug- gling with clutter but their loved ones as well. It’s not hard to understand then why the home organization industry has grown by leaps and bounds and today has 32 chapters, with more than 4,000 members in 22 countries. (Fast Company) The same goes for the workplace. The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) found in their study that disorganization can lead to finan- cial losses equivalent to 10 percent of a manager’s salary. NAPO also states that 80 percent of the clutter in the office is a result from being disorganized and not due to a lack of space. Some studies reveal the average per- son wastes up to 4.3 hours a week looking for papers, which adds stress and frustration to the workplace while reducing concentration and creative thinking – while cleaning professionals say that getting rid of excess clutter would eliminate 40 percent of the cleaning work needed. Understand this. When your environ- ment is cluttered, the chaos restricts your ability to focus. The clutter also limits your brain’s ability to process information. Clutter makes you dis- tracted and unable to process informa- tion as well as you do in an unclut- tered, organized, and serene environ- ment. (Princeton University.) This is why including “health care strategies” for clutter control in the workplace is critical. Mindful Tools For Organized Living is the most elite and complete step-by- step program that will help remedy these situations long before they get out of control. Implementing best practices for a healthy body and mind is a key factor in overcoming clutter and disorganization and living a healthier life. Although part of the challenge is underdeveloped skill sets with organ- ization, it is not the only culprit to having clutter. To penetrate the prob- lem and resolve it entirely, it is neces- sary to engage lifestyle tools that embody wellness for the body, mind and environment. To learn more about the Mindfulness Program and how it can help you in the home or office, please visit patriciadiesel.com and book your FREE Consultation with me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www.theconnectionsnj.com