What does the habit to clutter and the habit to declutter have in common?
The habit.
Changing your habits is an important step on your journey to a more meaningful life with less.
First, you will need to gain awareness of the habits you used to build up clutter, like bringing in too many things, procrastinating tasks, not making decisions, projecting actions into the future. Observe yourself to find out.
Then you need to start modifying your habits, so they support your goals. Here are four steps that will help you:
– Start Small. Use easy to achieve steps, like putting away your coffee mug directly after use. Or hanging your pants instead of throwing it on the chair.
– Stack Habits. Learn to combine behaviors, so you create a comfortable sequence. Put the coffee mug into the dishwasher, then empty the filter of the coffee maker, then clean the countertop.
– Model your environment. Put cues that trigger your habit in plain sight. A small bowl on your sideboard to put your keys and pocket items. Have a trash can near by where you look at your mail to immediately throw the junk away.
– Give yourself a high-five. Nothing wrong with a reward when your completed a task. A piece of chocolate, a cup of coffee, 3 minutes just sitting in your favorite chair.
– Consistency over intensity. The more often you repeat a task, the easier it gets, and the less effort you have to invest. Don’t let the perfect stand in the way of the better.
You already got everything you need. You just need to adjust where you put your energy.