Cope Through Cleaning
When I feel stressed, one of the first things I do is start to clean. A clean workspace and living space make me feel like I’m standing on solid ground even when the storms are raging. It’s how I cope. I’m not naturally hyper organized, although I applaud and appreciate those who are! In fact, for much of my life, cleaning was either a way to keep my mom from getting mad or an embarrassed rushed effort to hide signs of my messy life from people who came to visit. A clean, orderly space was a stressful afterthought, not a wonderful launch pad for projects and ideas.
In high school and college, I saw a messy living and working space as a badge of honor–I obviously had more important things to do than clean! My first real job out of college shifted my perspective. I had a coworker whose desk always looked perfect. She did excellent work and was very productive, but she always had time to straighten and organize. She took pride in her workspace and enjoyed the time she spent there. She even had a perfectly coordinated desk set with matching files, organizers, paper clips, stapler, and writing utensils. Yes, it sounds cheesy, but just looking at her desk made me feel calm, motivated, and ready to accomplish things! It was the first time I recall being inspired by neatness.
With her desk in mind, I pondered organization. I tended to clean sporadically, but the mess returned within hours. Could a person really truly keep their space tidy, day in and day out? The more I toyed with that idea and tried it now and then, the more I became convinced: A clean area inspires creativity, instills confidence, and improves quality of work. I started small. I began with an orderly desk, then a corner of an otherwise messy room, then a full room, then a (mostly) organized house. I eventually began to live by the motto, “A place for everything and everything in its place.”
I admit, mess still happens, but I TRY not to clean out of shame anymore, and instead, I try to clean out of love and respect for myself. The act of cleaning is satisfying. When I walk into a room and see my things are in order, I feel rejuvenated. When I start with an orderly workspace, I am more productive.
I make no absolute promises about the entire house, but every night, no matter how tired I am, I clean the kitchen and tidy up my work area before I sleep. It improves my outlook on life the next morning, and instead of being reminded of failures and messes and being behind, I start the day with a clean kitchen, a clean work area and a blank slate!
For me, any stress is easier to manage when my personal space is clean and in order.
Challenges/Points:
You don’t have to be born a neat freak to keep your space in order.
Look for people whose workspace or living space motivates you.
Try cleaning up your workspace every night for a week and make note about how you feel the following morning. See if you are less stressed and better able to cope with the day.
Questions:
Do you have a messy work area and feel easily stressed?
Have you ever thought about having “a place for everything and everything in its place”?
Is there someone in your life who inspires you with their organization skills? Have you ever asked them about it?
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