Everyone wants to improve their health. Improving health reduces your chances of getting sick, increases your energy, and adds to your life span. As you improve your health you will have better sleep, diet, and relationships. You will find yourself with more “me time” and less stress. So, what does getting organized have to do with improving your health?
More energy
Having your space and time organized helps you feel in control of your environment. The feeling of being in control boosts your energy levels.
An organized environment helps with your mental clarity and focus. When you have a plan for your day and when you know where everything is located you don’t use your energy floundering around or trying to locate your sunglasses. You can concentrate better and feel more energized.
Better sleep
If you have your time organized, you will have an optimum sleep schedule plan. This includes planning for your next day which lets you fall asleep without having “to do” lists churn through your head.
Seeing clutter around you serves to remind you of all the things that you need to do. Having an organized space allows you to shut your eyes peacefully.
A clean and organized environment also reduces the presence of built-up pockets of dust and allergens or perhaps even mold which will lead to better breathing and a better sleep cycle.
Better diet
Cluttered and disorganized spaces are stressful and are more likely to cause you to cope by reaching for an unhealthy snack. You can improve your health and your eating habits by organizing your kitchen.
Organized kitchen space makes it much easier to prepare foods that are healthy.
If your time is poorly organized, you may end up too tired to cook and will end up eating easy junk food rather than finding something healthy. But, if your kitchen space and refrigerator are organized, you will have your healthy choices easily available.
Plan your meals and snacks for the week and then shop using that plan. This makes mealtimes easier because everything is available in your kitchen to keep to your healthy meal plan.
Better relationships
A messy, disorganized home can lead to CHAOS – (can’t have anyone over syndrome) and decrease your chances of socializing. Having a disorganized home can also lead to tension and conflict between members living in the home.
Being organized helps you keep your commitments. It also helps you use your time more efficiently which gives you more time to spend with your friends and family.
More “me time”
Organization helps you manage your time more effectively. When you schedule your week, you set up some boundaries between work and home obligations and your personal time. Remember to schedule self-care time on your calendar and then treat it like any other appointment, this makes it much more likely to happen.
When you organize and make weekly and daily schedules which also include time to take care of you, you will feel recharged and less likely to crash.
Less stress
We feel stressed when our space and our schedules are out of control. We feel stress when we are behind on all our projects.
Creating a sense of order and peace by having an organized home will reduce stress. The very act of organizing can reduce stress as it gives you a sense of control and achievement.
And by getting rid of unnecessary items, you open up space to focus on what really matters and not stress over the unimportant parts of your life.
Conclusion
To stay healthy and energized organize your space and your time. Spending just a few extra minutes a day on organizing can get you started on making your life healthier and happier. Understanding that the organization in your home can help you improve your health may motivate you to set up a comprehensive organizational plan.
If you are ready to set up an organizational plan, or ready to work on any other specific organizing project join Diane Quintana and me in our Clear Space For You virtual clutter support group. The group will offer ideas, support, and gentle accountability for working on developing plans or projects.
Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, award-winning author, as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients.
I think the “less stress” is huge. Stress is a heavy burden, and yet we often don’t even realize we are carrying it. We habituate to a physical circumstance, and put up with the stress of a particularly disorganized circumstance, but fail to realize the burdens it is placing on us. There are the obvious ones, like not being able to find what we need. But there may also be the stress of debt, shame, low self esteem, criticism from others, etc. I would also wager that most people would say that sleeping in a disorganized/crowded space doesn’t impact your sleep, but I agree with you that it can. There is a reason that hotels are designed to be fairly minimal in decor, not only so guests have a space to put their things, but also so the space is serene and calming.
I agree with you 100% on how integral organization is to your health and well-being. I see this with my clients in all the ways you describe, but also for myself. I can think better when things are organized, have ‘homes,’ and aren’t cluttered. I feel more at peace.
Recently, we rented a vacation home in Maine. It was a wonderful location on a lake. However, there was more clutter than in other homes we’ve rented. It took me several days to find things, which was stressful. That’s the exact opposite of how you want to feel when away, let alone on a daily basis.
These are such good reminders, as organizing and good health . Everyone wants to be organized (even if they ; everyone wants to have exercised (even if they don’t want, in present/future tense, to do the exercise). These reminders reflect my own experience; I walk 4-5 miles a day, and if I miss that walking time, I get cranky and don’t sleep well. Similarly, if I try to go to bed without having put everything back where it belongs (or telling myself I’ll “deal with it later,” I just won’t be able to turn off my brain.
Being organized absolutely positively impacts our diet, sleep, exercise, relationships, self-esteem, resilience, energy, and mental health. I only wish more people were taught at an earlier age that organizing isn’t really about aesthetics at all, but about making our lives function better. Organizing has had “bad PR” over the generations, so it’s good that you’re getting this out there.