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Does cleanliness affect mental health?

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Could Cleaning Be the Key to Mental Wellness?

Our world seems to be undergoing a revolution in cleanliness. We all know too well the many social media posts of the perfectly organised office space with elegant minimalist furnishings, a charming plant or two, and a clear desk. In our culture, it has become appealing to be clean, which has effectively transformed the way we look at our appearances, our homes, and our workspaces.

Beyond outward appearances, being clean and organised is also essential for practicing good mental health. Spaces that are cluttered make for easy distractions, which can actually impair your brain’s ability to process information and leave you feeling unsettled. This matters not only at home, but also in your career, as you will be more productive and develop healthy habits at work if you give special attention to tidiness and order.

Due to its effects on mental well being, cleaning is important for professionals who are hoping to have a positive attitude while tackling everyday tasks in a way that facilitates success. While being organised can sometimes be quite difficult, it pays off to focus on maintaining constructive habits that enforce cleanliness in your work habits. By adopting techniques that will help you be cleaner, you can feel better about yourself and your workplace without having any anxiety about missing papers or piles of unfinished business.

How A Clean Space Affects Our Psychology

Keeping things clean, whether at home or in your workplace, is important not only for the sake of clarity and organisation, but it is also instrumental on your mental wellness. One study about the psychology of the home found that people who describe their homes as “cluttered” or teeming with “unfinished projects” were more likely to be fatigued and depressed. By comparison, people whose homes were described as “restful” and “restorative” had higher levels of happiness and mental well being.

This evidence showcases the way that messy spaces can make it difficult to focus on particular tasks and achieve goals throughout the day. But by engaging in the ritual of cleaning, research shows that we feel more optimistic after failure, as tidying up can actually boost self-esteem and confidence. To some extent, the act of organisation provides a physical signal to tell the brain that we have achieved success in being orderly, which will inevitably result in feelings of affirmation.

What Makes Organisation and Cleanliness Difficult?

If being clean is so good for you, then why is it so hard to stay organised? When you show up for a day at work, the last thing on your mind is the state of your office; instead, you need to focus on the day ahead and the tasks that are expected of you. One of the most difficult parts of cleanliness is simply finding the time. The reality is, properly organising your office can take a serious amount of time depending on the size and clutter, which may make you feel like giving up before you’ve even started.

In a space that’s filled with clutter, it can also be easy to forget how good it feels to be organised. When we grow accustomed to the way a space looks, we slip into certain rituals and routines that do not prioritise tidying up. Humans are creatures of habit, and this extends to the bad habits that sometimes develop in a messy space. However, fixing these bad habits will effectively support your overall health, and it is important to remember this fact when tackling your messes and establishing new routines that redirect order.

Easy Tips to Make You Cleaner - and Happier

Knowing that organisation and order can boost mental wellness, you may be wondering how you can go about developing habits that promote cleanliness in all areas of your life. One simple solution is to set a time each day that is dedicated to cleaning. Arrive ten minutes early for work—or stay ten minutes later—and start going through your papers and piles. Getting rid of your clutter can be emotionally taxing in some scenarios, but the finished product will ultimately result in you feeling better about yourself and the tidiness you’ve accomplished.

Besides de-cluttering your personal spaces, you can also buy certain organisational office items that will make you want to be more orderly. Purchasing office items like a small filing cabinet, a desk orgainiser, bins for your papers, or some stackable boxes will be catalysts for cleanliness. The order in the space will be much easier to manage if you have a few items that are there for the sole purpose of helping you organise.

And last but not least, make cleaning fun! Promoting order in your life is not always exciting, but by acknowledging that it is an incremental process and establishing habits that don’t seem like exhaustive tasks, you will be more likely to stay organised. Listen to music or a great audio book as you tidy up, and reward yourself with a tasty snack or your favourite cup of tea after you’ve finished.

Being clean in daily life is no easy feat, but it is the key to supporting your overall mental well being in ways that allows you to take on challenges and tasks with a refreshed, positive outlook free of all clutter and disorder.

 

VERCIDA works with over one hundred clients who are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. If you are an employer and interested in working with VERCIDA to promote your diversity and inclusion initiatives and attract the best candidates, please call 02037405973 or email [email protected] for more information.

We are also officially recommended by Disability Confident as a step on achieving Employer status, please click here for more information.

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VERCIDA works with over one hundred clients who are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. If you are an employer and interested in working with VERCIDA to promote your diversity and inclusion initiatives and attract the best candidates, please email [email protected] for more information.

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