"Spring Cleaning" - Go Beyond Your Closets Into Your Life!

Flowers begin to bloom, birds start to sing, and strong rays of sunshine warm the air.  The change in the seasons revitalizes the world before our eyes!  We, too, awaken from winter hibernation to embrace the glory of spring.  Coats are shed, shuttered windows thrown open, and activities moved outdoors.  There is an aura of newness that imbues us with energy.  We are surrounded by potential. 

One of the hallmarks of the season is “spring cleaning.”  We dust off shelves, clean out closets, get rid of the old, bring in the new, and spruce up our homes for a fresh beginning.  We imitate the vitality of the outside world in our personal environments. 

Just as we clean out and reorganize our homes, we can seize the spirit of spring to do the same in our lives.  This internal “spring cleaning” helps us shake off the winter doldrums and re-energize our bodies and minds.  We may rearrange our schedules, refocus our priorities, reawaken old passions, or reaffirm previous goals.  Or we can explore new paths of interest and opportunity.  Spring is full of possibilities!

Take a moment to consider how you feel throughout the day.  Are you energized when you wake up, ready to tackle any forthcoming challenges?  Or do you stumble through the morning dreading your daily routine?  Do you feel a sense of fulfillment and completion at the end of the day?  To harken back to the “spring cleaning” analogy, which do you relate to:  the cluttered closet lost in a haze of dust, or the brightly lit and organized room offering comfort and efficiency? 

But internal “spring cleaning” can be an overwhelming prospect without the right tools.  You need mental dusting cloths, brooms, and cleaning solutions to help you sort through the clutter in your mind and make room for new pursuits.  You need simple steps to guide you through this analytical “spring cleaning” process.

Your time and energy are your most valuable commodities.  Approach “spring cleaning” by investigating how you spend time and energy and how that allocation affects your happiness.  If you spend your time and energy on activities that connect with your personal priorities, then you will feel a sense of satisfaction with life.  Conversely, wasting time and energy on activities that do not reflect your priorities will cause dissatisfaction.  You may not be aware of what these activities are, but you sense an internal discomfort, such as anxiety or stress, that indicates an underlying disconnect between your actions and your values. 

Time to grab a mental mop and put in a little mental elbow grease.  The only external equipment you need is a pen and paper, so grab that now.  Work through the following six steps to achieve your fresh spring start!

1) Define your priorities. 

How can you do the right things if you are unsure of what the right things are?  Use the “List Of Priority Categories” provided to help you complete this exercise.  Prioritize the categories from greatest to least important.  Base your rankings on how important each category is to your personal fulfillment in life, not how much time you currently spend on each (that step is coming up next).  Write down your order under “List Of My Priorities.”  Be honest with yourself – there are no “wrong” answers here.

List Of Priority Categories:

Career

Money

Friends

Family

Personal Growth

Physical Environment

Health/Self-Care

Fun/Recreation

Other

2) Determine how you are currently spending your time and energy.

Write out your weekly schedule with any activities that take at least fifteen minutes of your time.  You can use blank daily planner pages or a spreadsheet to better visualize this step.  Remember to include all of your daily routines (such as getting ready for work in the morning or bed at night), travel time, errands, meals (preparing and eating), leisure activities (don’t forget your favorite TV show), and sleep.  Be as accurate as possible.  If you are unsure, carry this schedule with you for a week and fill it in as you go.

3) Identify the parts of your schedule that reflect your priorities and the parts that do not.

Add up how much time you spend weekly on each priority category and write this number under “Time Spent.”  How does this compare to the order of your priorities?  Recognize that you may not have complete control over every hour spent; for example, your job probably requires a certain commitment, travel time will be dependent on your location, and sleeping and eating are necessities.  Look for significant differences that you cannot explain or that trigger negative feelings.  Circle these areas of your schedule for “spring cleaning.”

4) Reorganize your schedule. 

Brainstorm changes you can make to realign your schedule with your priorities.  Consider shifting, combining, exchanging, or eliminating entirely.  Be creative here – no idea is too ridiculous to consider.  An impractical idea may open your mind to a new but more realistic solution.  And start small.  Significant and lasting differences are made through the accumulation of little changes over time, not big changes overnight. 

5) Seek additional support when you need help. 

Sometimes being too close to a problem keeps you from seeing the solution.  Try talking to your friends and family for a new perspective or fresh ideas.

Completing this exercise can produce startling and unexpected results.  You may encounter emotional barriers, such as a struggle with motivation or fear of failure.  Watch out for negative thinking patterns, such as believing you should already be at your goal, or that you are “bad” or worthless because your previous efforts have been ineffective.  These feelings and fears should not be ignored, but they can impede your current progress.  Instead of avoiding these issues, address them as part of your “spring cleaning” plan.  A consultation with a life coach or mental health professional can help you overcome these obstacles.    

6) Repeat this process at regular intervals. 

Just like in our environments, clutter can re-accumulate in our daily lives.  New distractions appear that knock us off purpose, and external demands take the place of internal desires.  Before we realize it, our goals are sitting in the back of our internal closets, covered in dust again.  Re-evaluate your priorities and schedule periodically.  You may want to do this more often than every spring, especially if it is a new process for you.  Eventually you will be able to sense when something is off and make quick adjustments as needed.  Remember that life is a continuing journey, and priorities change as we change.  Embrace your amazing potential!


By Jennifer Stanhagen
Jennifer is a fitness trainer and wellness coach with Total Health Concepts, LLC.  She also works as a freelance writer and group fitness instructor, where she earned the nickname "Bootcamp Jenn."  You can contact her at jennifer@totalhealthconcepts.net.

For more information on Total Health Concepts coaching services, visit our website www.totalhealthconcepts.net.