We live in a mind boggling-ly advanced civilization. And for the most part, it’s freaking fantastic.
We can click a few buttons on a 5 inch touch screen and have an infinitely variable selection of goods arrive at our door the next day.
We can be contributing members of society from anywhere in the world.
Have a question about literally anything? Google’s got you.
Er, wait. It’s 2023. ChatGPT’s got you. Or that random dude from a 7 year old reddit thread that happened to be about the same exact question you have.
The point is this: Modern technology has introduced infinite possibilities for how we can use our time.
And as humans—we’re pretty good at doing one thing deliberately if we put our mind to it. What we’re less good at is managing priorities, distractions, and our environment.
This ultimately can come at the price of our attention spans and having scattered priorities more often than we’d like.
I felt the weight of this reality immensely during COVID. Since then, I’ve invested massive amounts of time and effort into reducing bad habits and decluttering my life.
The result? My ability to focus on and make progress towards things that bring me joy and meaning has skyrocketed.
So without further ado, here are 9 genuinely effective habits that you can implement to declutter your life.
1. Use an App Blocker
Your phone is a primary source of distractions and low-value time investments. Opening up social media has become so automatic that it’s almost entirely subconscious.
Cheap dopamine hits are the enemy of focus. Late night doom scrolling messes up your sleep. This one should be a no-brainer.
2. Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails
The email inbox is the primary source of day-to-day anxiety for most people, and also happens to be a time suck for low-value work.
Keep it as organized and minimal as possible, and it suddenly becomes easy to manage and less daunting.
Every time you open your email, unsubscribe from something that you can live without. Be honest with yourself.
3. Organize your workspace
A cluttered workspace means a cluttered mind.
But don’t take that from me. Read the science, and I’m sure you’ll agree.
4. Make your bed every morning
This one seems obvious, but honestly is so wildly impactful that I needed to put it on here.
The first 5 minutes after waking set the tone for your entire day.
Give yourself that psychological boost that decluttering a disordered space gives you. It really does make a difference.
5. Timebox
Timeboxing my schedule was by far the best change I ever made to managing my time.
It immediately adds clarity to your sense of time, which ultimately means a more meaningful and productive day.
If you don’t mind using your calendar, just use that. Or use a purpose-built app. However you do it, just do it. And thank me later.
6. Limit your screen time
Again, an obvious one. But the important piece here is to set strict boundaries around how you limit your screen time.
For many people, this means enforcing strict boundaries through app blockers and other tools. Be deliberate about it. Create a system that makes these boundaries automatic.
7. Practice mindfulness
There are a billion ways to practice mindfulness so I’m not going to tell you how to do it. For me this is sitting quietly for 5 minutes every morning “watching” my thoughts go by.
The important part is finding something you can stick to. This is probably the hardest part, and where most fail.
My one tip here: try integrating a mindfulness practice as a part of an existing daily routine (this was a hell of a lot easier for me).
8. Learn to say "no" to unnecessary commitments
Overcommitting is a one way ticket to mental clutter, burnout, and stretching yourself too thin.
Learn to say no and take back your day. Invest your time on commitments that bring you closer to your goals and bring you joy and meaning.
Anything else is a distraction.
9. Take breaks and prioritize self-care
Taking breaks and prioritizing self-care helps you recharge and maintain a clean headspace.
But I’m not going to pretend to have a magic answer for you.
To know what this looks like, you have to know yourself—your capacity for overreaching, your tendency to burnout, and also how you recharge.
Find what this looks like for you, and you’ll have an unstoppable backstop for continuous self-improvement and growth.
This was originally published on my weekly newsletter Circadian Growth