There are simple ways to improve mindfulness while cleaning our homes. Even though it may seem like these two areas are incompatible, they are not. They can actually go very well together. Cleaning is often dreaded, avoided, done hastily, or forgotten. And mindfulness is a practice that we strive to do daily. So if we could combine the two, cleaning is actually the perfect time to focus on our mindfulness practice.
I want to cover this topic because there is a strong correlation between our mental health and our home environment. Our emotional well-being and our surroundings have a reciprocal relationship. The connection is about how our surroundings reflect our inner workings. And how our environments affect our emotional health. We may realize this even more now that we have spent about one year quarantined in our homes. If during the quarantine you were so stressed with economy losses, politics, the pandemic, that you took to cleaning and decluttering. You exerted control in the only environment you had control over. Your own home.
Cleaning Can Decrease Feelings of Anxiety
There is a strong correlation between a clean home and emotional wellness. There are many feel good feelings from having a clean and organized home. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, house cleaning and a clean home can improve feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression. One reason for this is the physicality of cleaning releases endorphins. Cleaning can also give you a sense of accomplishment. In addition, cleaning and organizing your home can give you a feeling of mastery over your domain.
In other words, the need to clean during stressful times is all about control. Times of anxious feelings can lead to repetitive behaviors such as cleaning. This is even backed by research. A study from the University of Connecticut found that temporary anxiety can lead to more meticulous cleaning. If you need some help getting started on your home organization and wellness journey click here.
3 Simple Ways to Improve Mindfulness While Cleaning
The reason cleaning is a good time to practice mindfulness is because here is a certain rhythm to cleaning. This is why music is the best accompaniment to cleaning. Cleaning and decluttering take focus and remove your attention from external issues. You are in the moment.
One way to practice mindfulness while cleaning is to use your senses while you are cleaning. For example, if you are washing the dishes feel the warmth of the water wash over your hands. Listen to the trickle of the water from the faucet. See the shininess of the newly washed plate. Inhale the lavender scent from the dish soap. When you engage your senses, you are truly being present.
Secondly, use the time to engage in gratitude. Tell yourself that you are grateful for what you have. Be grateful for the simple things. If you’re washing the dishes, be thankful for the pretty plates you just enjoyed a tasty meal off of. Or that you are physically well enough to wash your dishes. Another example is to be grateful for the clean, running water in your home. The more you practice, the more you will find things to express gratitude for.
Lastly, take the time to focus on your breath while you clean. Feel the rhythm of your inhales and exhales. When you inhale, fill your lungs up fully with precious air. Then exhale all that air out very slowly. Exhale and release your worries. And enjoy being in the moment. That bright, shiny, sparkling moment.
Visit http://www.elementalglam.com for more information on creating wellness with home decorating.
About Me
Elemental Glam was created out of a desire to use design to escape stress in my life. I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 20 + years in the field. Cumulative stress had taken a toll on my physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. And because there is a strong link between our emotional wellness and our environments, it became important to me to create a home environment that provided solace. Incorporating healing elements, such as crystals and aromatherapy, became a part of my wellness journey. I created Elemental Glam in hopes of inspiring others to use wellness decor to live harmoniously within their hearts, minds, and homes!
