About The Author -
Angela Duckworth is a psychologist known for her research on grit, which is the combination of passion and perseverance towards long-term goals. She found that individuals with higher levels of grit are more likely to achieve success. Her TED Talk and book, "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance," have had a significant impact on our understanding of achieving goals and success.
Duckworth has advised prestigious organizations and is the founder of Character Lab, a nonprofit focused on helping children thrive.
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It Start's With...
Today we have Barrie Davenport and S.J. Scott's book " Declutter Your Mind " .
Barrie is the founder of an award winning personal development site 'live bold and bloom', a certified personal coach and online course creator. Author of many self-improvement books based on Positive Habits, Passion for Life, Building Confidence, Mindfulness and Simplicity.
Scott is a wall street journal best selling author with over 30 books on self improvement published and translated into 12 different languages. His books tell daily action plan which can be implemented immediately. His books are based on health, fitness, work and personal development (Declutter Your Mind).
Declutter Your Mind teaches you the habits, actions, and mindset you can use to clear your mind so you can get focused again. Let's find out how to find a simple quiet mental life and reclaim the time and emotional energy we've wasted on overthinking and worrying.
Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed by your thoughts, plagued by worry and anxiety, or just want to stop worrying about your life? If you answered yes to even one of the questions, then this book and summary is for you.
This book is divided into 4 different parts, which cover all the parts of our life, in which we have told how to declutter our mind, which means how we can remove unwanted things from our mind. Like Decluttering Your Thought, cluttering life responsibilities, relationships and surroundings (Declutter Your Mind).
Remove Unwanted Thoughts
Thoughts create our reality, and affect our state of mind. However, having too many thoughts can fill our mind. We are especially affected by our negative thoughts, because every time we push them away, they keep coming back. To handle our thoughts, to move away from negative thoughts and to empty the mind, we have to work on our mindfulness (Declutter Your Mind):
- focus on deep breathing
- When we feel very stressed or upset, we have frequent breathing and shortness of breath. Slow, deep and rhythmic breathing can help us regain control of our mind.
- attention
Most meditation practices begin with sitting quietly, paying attention to your breath, and ignoring any distractions. It increases productivity, improves focus, reduces stress, and boosts brain power. Start by meditating for 10 minutes daily.
Meditation is a way to access the quiet part of your mind that is already in your head, buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks a day (Declutter Your Mind).
- Reframe all negative thoughts
Critical thinking gives us the ability to solve problems quickly and effectively. Creative thinking allows us to develop original, diverse and detailed ideas and relationships. But often unwanted negative thinking fills our mind and destroys the enthusiasm of our life.
To change and recreate this habit:
- Be a Watcher - be aware of your thoughts. Separate yourself from your thoughts and observe what is going on in your mind.
- Name that thought – mentally acknowledge that this thought is not your reality. Say 'I have a feeling that I will never get all this'.
- Just say no – imagine you are pouring the negative thought down a deep hole or into a balloon that blows away (Declutter Your Mind).
- Try the rubber band trick - When you get stuck in negative thinking, gently put a rubber band on your wrist. This will stop the flow of your negative thoughts.
- Know your triggers - Almost every negative thought comes from a person, situation or physical state. Write down those triggers so you know when they happen.
- Distract yourself – break the cycle by using distraction. Engage yourself in work that requires attention and brainpower (Declutter Your Mind).
- Teach your old mind a new trick
- Challenge the thought and change it Challenge the thought and change it. remind yourself of a positive event or past victory
- Practice Acceptance - Take a deep breath and stop fighting mentally. Ask yourself – is there anything I can do to rectify this situation? Is there anything positive to be learned from this? How can I get support once I finish it?
- Take mindful action – Do something that engages your attention and challenges your mind to keep you from overthinking or worrying again. Such works are – writing, painting or drawing, playing an instrument, or making something with hands (Declutter Your Mind).
- Set a worry timer – Set a 10-15 minute timer and give yourself a chance to focus on whatever may be on your mind. Take them all out. Write down your thoughts so that your answers can be found (Declutter Your Mind).
Reducing Your Life's Obligations
Instead of properly understanding what is best for us, most of us just react to whatever life gives us (Declutter Your Mind).
A simple way to reduce the overload of so much information is to define our core beliefs that are subject to time, difficulty, and change. The 4 step strategy is to define your values –
- identify your core values
Check the list of your values which seem important to your personal and professional life, write them down. Select the top 5 values from both the columns and write them on two separate pages.
Now below each value, write all the ways to do it in present life, but also think about the specific action to do these values. Which works can be done now or in the future? Break them down into smaller, more manageable chunks.
- clarify your life priorities
Priorities tell you how to spend your time, energy and money. There are 7 major life areas: career-family-marriage-spirituality, personal development, social life management and health.
Excluding sleep, food and hygiene, we each have 100 hours of waking hours per week. How many hours will you give to each area according to its value? Is your real life drifting away from your ideal life? How can you rebalance it with some specific action?
- Focus mindfully on quarterly S.M.A.R.T. goals
Present comfort and future planning can be done simultaneously. The key is to enjoy every moment, and enjoy each step of the way as you build your future. For this, make quarterly smart goals, not year-long goals, which distract you from the present moment.
SMART stands for:
Specific – Answering 6 questions: Who, What, Where, When, Which, and Why.
Measurable – measuring your progress toward precise, time-varying unit-amount goals.
Attainable – Stretching your limits as far as it is possible to reach
Relevant – Do everything in tune with your real desire
Time Bound - Write specific deadlines for your goals
How to convert smart goals into action:
- Identify what is important to you – focus on 3-4 areas of your life.
- Focus on 3-month goals - Life is constantly changing, long goals are often demotivating.
- Make a weekly review to make a schedule - Create a daily action plan for your week, keeping in mind your priorities and available time.
- Take action on your goals – make your goal a project – start with a target date and then start working backwards – by finding out how much time will be required on each goal, make a schedule of time to work on the goals. Do your priority goals first thing in the morning.
- Review your goals daily - keep them in your mind.
- Calculate your quarterly goals – ask yourself have I achieved the desired result? Which startups were successful and which were not? Did I give my 100% to complete these tasks?
- Connect your passions to your goals
When you work on something you love, you feel energized in every part of your life. Attract like-minded people to you. Follow these steps to find your passion:
- Write a vision of what you want in every area of your life.
- Test yourself with the help of online personal assessments.
- Start reading about things that interest you.
- Limit your thinking to what training is required, successful people, salary figures and how much time will be required.
- Try something yourself - work with someone for a few days, or do a part time job.
- Put some money in the savings account so that this transition is smooth.
- Find out about your current job by talking to your employer.
- Stay motivated by your daily tasks, stay focused on your bigger goal (Declutter Your Mind).
Breaking Your Unwanted Relationships
Our close relationships, sucUh as our romantic partners, friends, family members, or even our co-workers, share in the long-term happiness of life.
A high-quality relationship includes: prioritizing connection, open communication, healthy conflict resolution, mutual trust and respect, shared interests, a level of emotional and intellectual intimacy , acceptance and forgiveness, and finally, physical touch (personal relationships) . for).
A good relationship should have it all – prioritizing relationships, open communication, healthy conflict discussion, mutual trust, respect, shared interests, emotional and intellectual intimacy, acceptance and forgiveness and finally physical touch (Declutter Your Mind).
These are the 4 ways that help in improving and maintaining your relationships, which have a direct and positive effect on your mindset (Declutter Your Mind).
- be more present
In a relationship, being in the present and being less emotionally reactive helps to emerge from the situation successfully. For this:
- Practice empathetic listening - Step outside your distracting mind and listen to people's words without judgment, making them feel safe and understood.
- Speak thoughtfully – Pay attention during conversations and control the urge to react to someone's words and actions (Declutter Your Mind).
- Meditate on kindness – Focus on bringing warm feelings to other people who deserve love.
- Stop comparing yourself to others – Don't compare yourself to others, accept yourself, change what you can, and be thankful (Declutter Your Mind).
- get out of the past
Many thoughts from the past are related to people in your present, so you often identify with them. To clear past negative thoughts:
- Resolve what you can - share your feelings and pain, listen to others' perspectives, forgive, ask for forgiveness, and discuss the future of the relationship (Declutter Your Mind).
- Challenge your story - Challenge your own perspective.
- mindfulness with your partner
Mindfulness is not about denying or suppressing your emotions. It is about controlling and accepting your feeling and experience.
It can strengthen your relationship with your partner, as well as reduce the stress of your life. to get this:
- Make and Communicate Commitment – Talk with your partner about practicing a daily mindfulness habit (Declutter Your Mind).
- Be emotionally present – Be emotionally open to pain, show empathy, and reflect back your partner's words and body language.
- Listen without defense – listen actively, without preparing your answers and defenses, don't act on your reactive emotions when you become aware of them (Declutter Your Mind).
- Find the lesson within the struggle - Find the lesson even in a fight or a confrontation.
- leave certain people
That universal theme when it's time to say good-bye:
- Verbal, emotional or physical abuse.
- Persistent dishonesty, disloyalty, or toxicity (Declutter Your Mind).
- Deviating from core values, not being worthy.
- Immaturity, emotionally manipulative, irresponsible.
- Unresolved, or untreated mental problems.
- Addiction (drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, pornography).
- Not talking, not discussing problems, or refusing to invest in the relationship (Declutter Your Mind).
To extricate yourself from a painful relationship:
- Think about the positive things in life without this person – what if you didn't have to deal with the issues you are having with this person.
- Can think about saying good-bye – maybe they try to harm you, how can you go? You should talk about your plan with your common friends, family or therapist (Declutter Your Mind).
- Define the real meaning of goodbye – what kind of conversation do you want to have with them and how often? What will you not tolerate from them now?
- State your intentions without placing blame. Explain in short and pay more attention to your feelings than their mistakes (Declutter Your Mind).
- Granted it may be a process – it will hardly be easy or painless. If this is the right way for you, then give yourself permission to do it slowly (Declutter Your Mind).
- Give yourself permission to grieve – if you treat grief as a normal process of letting go, it will pass more quickly.
Clutter Up Your Environment
Our surrounding affects the quality of our life. Too often we get caught up in mindless actions because we simply react to what is in front of us. To clear the space of the mind:
- simplify your home
Set aside just 10 minutes a day and your home will be better in just a few weeks. Let go of the past and those physical things that weigh you down (Declutter Your Mind).
- Simplify your digital life
Take a look at your digital activities for the day, where and how can you start cutting? Give time to empty your email inbox, desktop icons, and keep your files and documents properly (Declutter Your Mind).
- simplify your activities
Being busy fills your mind, let's say less can be more, to free up your schedule:
- Prioritize daily tasks instead of trying to do them all (Declutter Your Mind).
- Make your commitments without serious damage. Alternatively, delegate, delay or downsize (Declutter Your Mind).
- Focus on 3 important daily goals, but with more intention, time, and attention.
- Take time to do nothing, be calm and do nothing (Declutter Your Mind).
- Leave work on time, reduce your overtime habit.
- Spend one day a week or weekend without any internet-connection.
- Unleash the power of meditation by working on a challenge or skill.
- eliminate your distractions
Distractions steal our time and motivation, and to do more, keep us worried.
First of all, before sleeping and after waking up, decide the 3 most important tasks of your day and ask why they are important (Declutter Your Mind).
Break each task down into smaller tasks and figure out how long they will take (Declutter Your Mind).
Schedule these tasks in the most productive part of your day so that the output comes maximum (Declutter Your Mind).
You should have everything you need before sitting down for work – coffee, water, snacks An organized desk.
Work without interruptions, turn off your phone, turn off notifications, and 'do not disturb' at the door; Put a sign (Declutter Your Mind).
Start working with full dedication by setting a timer of 25 minutes. When the timer runs out, give yourself a short break. But don't do anything that distracts your attention (eg call, e-mail).
Take long breaks of 15-25 minutes between your 3 most important tasks, medidate exercise and talk without stress.
Mindless tasks such as simple paperwork, organizing, should be done during the least productive times of your day (Declutter Your Mind).
- simplify your tasks
Follow these steps to stay present and aware even during the most difficult tasks.
Eat Food – Savor the food, with complete digestion and nutrients.
Clean your house – focus on doing it, not getting someone else to do it.
Walk – Pay attention to the path and let the walk itself become the destination.
Experience nature – Pay attention to the surroundings with all your senses.
Exercise – Pay attention to your body, posture, discomfort and movements (Declutter Your Mind).
key takeaways
- Your mind is the basis of all your experiences, train it daily.
- Deep breathing and meditation can help detach from intrusive feelings and thoughts.
- To take charge and overcome the power of thoughts, challenge them, intervene in them, and re-create them.
- Set goals based on priorities and core values to keep you active.
- In your relationships, be mindful and present to avoid a lot of confusion and stress.
- Keep your home and digital world organized to avoid distractions that pull you away from your values, priorities, and goals.
I hope you have liked this summary and by applying all these learnings in your life, you will be able to remove unwanted things from your life.
Conclusion -
Decluttering your mind can improve your mental clarity, reduce stress, and improve your concentration, to name a few advantages. You can develop a calm and balanced state of mind by letting go of pointless thoughts and remaining in the moment.
Here are some doable measures to clear your mind to assist you in your endeavour:
Practise mindfulness: Mindfulness entails paying close attention to the current moment while remaining judgment-free. You can learn to observe your thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them by engaging in mindfulness practises. You get the ability to let go of unimportant thoughts and concentrate on what is important.
Organise your tasks: It's simple to feel pressured and overwhelmed when your head is cluttered with multiple chores. Organising your tasks is a useful strategy for clearing your mind. To do this, you might make a list of things to do, set deadlines, or divide difficult jobs into smaller, more doable ones.
Set yourself first: Taking care of oneself is essential for clearing your thoughts. Make time for enjoyable pursuits like meditation, exercise, and time in the outdoors. By taking care of yourself, you give your mind the room it needs to unwind and clear out the clutter.
Although clearing your mind of clutter is a continuous process, the benefits are unquestionably worthwhile. These actions will help you develop a calm, harmonious frame of mind that will improve your general wellbeing.
Here are some other advantages that come with clearing your mind:
- Higher inventiveness
- Better sleep
- Decreased stress and sadness
- A higher sense of self
- Enhanced decision-making Productivity gains
- Decluttering your head is a great place to start if you want to increase your mental clarity and general wellbeing. By putting the above advice into practise, you can develop a calm and balanced frame of mind that will benefit you much.
Declutter Your Mind Book Review
S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport, authors of the informative book Declutter Your Mind, provide helpful advice on minimising mental clutter and enhancing general wellbeing. The subjects covered in this engaging and educational book on mental decluttering are numerous.
Declutter Your Mind is still a valuable book that offers readers practical advice for structuring their thoughts, despite being somewhat repetitive and not being universally relevant.
Some of the book's main lessons are as follows:
The detrimental effects of mental clutter include stress, anxiety, and decreased productivity, which emphasises the necessity of dealing with it in our daily lives.
The effectiveness of mindfulness: Being fully present in the present moment and clearing our minds is made possible by practising mindfulness. Its practise can encourage a good outlook and assist us in letting go of unneeded thoughts.
The book provides methods for decluttering our lives, from organising tangible items to streamlining daily schedules and establishing healthy boundaries with others.
I suggest reading this book if you want to learn how to organise your thoughts. Even if some portions could seem redundant and some of the suggestions might not apply to everyone, Declutter Your Mind is still a useful tool. Anyone looking to improve their general wellbeing and mental clarity can use it as a starting point.
I Am Greatful.