As summer draws to a close, it’s time to start thinking about going back to school. Along with shopping for supplies and preparing mentally for the upcoming challenges, there’s another essential task that often goes overlooked: decluttering. While decluttering might not seem directly related to academic success, having an organized space can significantly impact your productivity, focus, and overall well-being. In this blog post, we’ll explore the reasons why decluttering for school success is effective.
1. Improved Focus and Concentration:
A cluttered environment can be overwhelming and distracting. When surrounded by piles of unrelated items, it’s easy to lose focus on your studies. Decluttering your study area creates a clean, organized space, allowing you to concentrate on your schoolwork without unnecessary visual distractions. With fewer items competing for your attention, you can dive into your studies more efficiently and absorb information more effectively.
The research for this comes from the amount of brain activity necessary to continually evaluate threats in our visual field. This is why driving requires so much more concentration and focus than walking. Our environment is changing every fraction of a second.
However, studies have shown that having many things in our visual field still requires more mental energy than if the space were minimal. It appears that having a discernable grouping of items further reduces that cognitive effort and the brain can better overcome the competitive interactions.
2. Reduced Stress and Anxiety:
Clutter can contribute to stress and anxiety. A messy space can create a sense of chaos and unease, making it challenging to relax and concentrate on your studies. By decluttering your living space, you create a calming atmosphere, promoting a positive mindset conducive to learning. When you’re less stressed, you’ll find it easier to handle academic challenges with a clear and focused mind.
There is interesting research on the effects of horizontal eye movement on the brain’s ability to remain calm during the recall of stressful events. It’s being used in PTSD treatment currently. The idea is that our brain gets a reinforced message of “this environment is safe” every time it scans the horizon and confirms there are no threats. Of course, this is most true in controlled environments like a therapist’s office.
It could be posited that, for hoarders, scanning the environment of their belongings is calming to them, as it reinforces that the past trauma regarding belongings has not reoccurred. This could be leading to the increase in difficulty letting things go, because after, as they scan their surroundings, they are reminded of the loss over and over.
However, for most of us, having excessive amounts of things are not associated with safety. Our environment not having hiding places and staying constant is what contributes to a sense of safety.
There’s some really neat stuff coming out of this research such as improved memory of events.
3. Better Time Management:
Decluttering isn’t limited to physical possessions; it also includes organizing your digital life. Streamline your electronic files, folders, and desktop to ensure easy access to study materials and assignments. Having a well-organized digital workspace will save you time searching for important documents, enabling you to manage your time more efficiently and meet deadlines effectively.
This one really isn’t about the research. We’ve all lost something and spent a ton of time hunting for it. However, when you’ve finally found that flow state and your ink ran out, you can relate to just how disruptive this can be to studies. It takes a lot of time to get into that state and you don’t want to struggle to find the reference file when you’ve finally put together the premise of your report!
Organizing research and reference material is important. Organize files by subject with clear descriptive names. If you know when you save it what you’ll use it for, make sure that’s in the title. You can also put it into a subject folder (not necessarily the class folder but perhaps the topic).
4. Enhanced Productivity:
A cluttered environment can lead to procrastination and reduced productivity. The sight of disarray might subconsciously prompt you to avoid studying altogether. On the other hand, an orderly and decluttered space can serve as a motivating factor. With a clear workspace, you’ll feel more inclined to sit down and get to work, leading to increased productivity and better time management.
Interestingly, constant clutter can keep a person in a constant fight-or-flight state, a mildly agitated state. This is known as chronic stress. Not only does it mess with sleep and keep you from fully relaxing, but our minds are trying to escape from it. You have reason enough to avoid studying without the added desire to get out of your physical space.
5. Improved Memory and Retention:
A tidy study space can positively influence memory and retention. When your physical and digital space is organized, it’s easier to locate study materials, notes, and textbooks. This accessibility aids in reinforcing learning through consistent review, ultimately leading to better retention and academic performance.
Remember the PTSD study above about memory and scanning our environment? It’s not fully understood, but better communication between the hemispheres is linked to improvement in memory and more accurate recall. It’s likely that the parasympathetic process keeps emotion at bay, allowing the patient to separate the emotional experience from the details which in turn allows them to see the event through an non-traumatized lens.
In this study, clutter would be considered a “visual distractor”. One of many inputs that could distract someone. We don’t know why some people can overcome distractions better than others, but if you are easily distracted, this is even more important. This study specifically looks at visual memory, so it would apply to what we read or see.
6. Space for Personal Growth:
Decluttering isn’t just about creating a functional study space; it also extends to your living environment. By letting go of items you no longer need or use, you make room for personal growth and development. A clutter-free space fosters a sense of clarity and purpose, allowing you to focus on your goals and aspirations for the upcoming school year.
I have personal experience with this one. After a brain injury, I went from being unbothered by things to being completely overwhelmed. Even reading a paragraph was taxing and highly ineffective. We are distracted by the things in our homes for all the reasons above and simplifying can bring more relief than you can imagine! In that relief, you will find more capacity to do new things.
7. Improved Sleep Quality:
An organized space promotes better sleep quality. A cluttered bedroom can lead to restlessness and disrupt your ability to relax before bedtime. By decluttering your sleeping area, you’ll create a tranquil space conducive to a good night’s sleep, ensuring you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day’s academic challenges.
Sleep quality is directly affected by chronic stress. There is nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable when you’re trying to sleep. Even if the unfinished project by your bed wasn’t yelling at you when you turn off your lamp, too many things can make you feel unsafe. As someone with chronic insomnia, those to-do lists, research, and lofty goals can leave your brain wired. While for many, tidying up before bed can help your brain accept that you are ready for the next day. However, if those scans are just constantly reminding you of more to-do’s and how unsafe you are, that strategy would backfire.
In conclusion, decluttering is an essential step in preparing for school success. By creating an organized, stress-free environment, you can enhance your focus, productivity, and overall well-being. Take some time before the school year starts to declutter your physical space, organize your study materials, and streamline your digital life. The benefits of a decluttered space will extend far beyond your academic pursuits, positively influencing all aspects of your life. Embrace the power of decluttering and set yourself up for a successful and rewarding school year ahead.
Reach out for virtual clutter coaching if you find yourself overwhelmed with where to start!
