Is It Time for Spring Cleaning?

Around this time of year, I fondly remember helping my mother and siblings with spring cleaning in our home. She believed this thorough cleaning was necessary to maintain a refreshed home environment.  In some way this activity made us all feel a bit lighter afterwards and reminded us about good habits to continue during the rest of the year.

Beyond the home, I wondered - what type of spring cleaning have I done within myself? What have I done to make my environment reflect the calmness and tranquility I want in my life? How conscious am I about my thoughts and my reactions when I feel stressed?  These questions could be answered by assessing a big input to our thoughts and actions - what feeds your mind every day? When is the last time you took stock of what television programs you watch, how much time you spend on your mobile device, how present you are with your family once work is completed? These are just a few areas to explore if you commit to doing your own spring cleaning.

Think about your workday. Do you come away replaying all the things that went wrong, people who aggravated you, and transfer those emotions to your family?  There was a time when I used to be that person - on autopilot juggling a to-do list a mile long, feeling stressed, and unable to shut off the day’s events. What I wish I had known then that I practice now is how to create a conscious transition between work life and home life.  Let’s call it a daily spring cleaning. Here are just a few ideas:

Make time: Book 15 minutes at the end of each day to reflect on what went well and what could have gone better. Revisit your to-do list and identify what you want to carry over to the next day. Celebrate what you were able to accomplish.

Let it go: Reflect on people, situations, events that triggered stress and let them go.  Release any feelings of frustration or anger to prevent you from carrying them into the evening. Think about what made you react the way you did and consider what other options you had, then commit to responding differently if ever given the chance.

Create space: If working remotely, consider setting aside a specific area of your home for this reflection before you reenter your home allowing you to emerge fully present for your family.

Be kind to yourself and challenge your word choices:  Rather than saying: I should have, I need to, I have to – what about:  I get to, I choose to, I will – and allow your word choices to support the fact you’re human and striving daily to be a better version of yourself.