Organizing To Relieve Stress
The idea of having to “go through” boxes of old belongings or a mixture of random stuff can raise the hackles on almost anyone. Organizing isn’t always synonymous with a trip to the spa. Of course, once your stuff has all been sorted and organized, it can feel really satisfying. Some people really love the process, and others avoid it at all costs. In this post, I’ll show you how the mundane task of sorting rubber bands can be surprisingly relaxing! And yes, I am concerned that I may end up becoming someone who requests tangled balls of yarn “just for fun” in my old age.
- Meditative: Sorting rubber bands is a simple activity which utilizes your hand-eye coordination, but doesn’t require deep thinking or problem solving. When you let your mind wander by doing a repetitive sorting task, your brain can relax, as long as you are enjoying the process! If you get frustrated or annoyed with tasks like this, the benefits may not apply to you. Spending time in active meditation like this will improve your executive functioning skills so that you can focus and quiet your mind even when you’re not sorting rubber bands! You’ll also notice that by engaging in simple “fun” tasks, you’ll automatically discover intuitive answers or inspiration regarding other areas of your life.
- Soothing: The tactile sensation of sorting rubber bands can be really satisfying for people who like to work with their hands. It’s a basic activity that requires very little thought, but the goals are clearly defined and achievable. There’s something inherently enjoyable about doing simple tasks like this.
- Sense of Accomplishment: You may think it would take hours to sort a large pile of rubber bands, but once you’re done and you realize that it only took 15 or 20 minutes, you realize you finished something (and didn’t waste too much time doing it!). “Finishing things” can be especially hard for people with ADHD. Completing small goals is a great way to train yourself to finish larger projects as well! This can be very gratifying!
- A great distraction from other stressors: When you’re dealing with a lot of change that’s uncontrollable, having a simple task like sorting a bunch of rubber bands can help you focus on something concrete and manageable. This is a great way to give your mind a break from worrying about large problems that are beyond your control.
- Stimulating: Doing an analog activity like physically sorting things, instead of hitting the “sort” button on an Excel spreadsheet, activates your mind in new and different ways. Firing your mind in ways that don’t involve screens or consuming content is an excellent way to exercise other parts of your brain. I’m not saying using screens or consuming content is wrong, but this is just a different way to use your mind. It’s kind of like dusting out the cobwebs from a room that hasn’t been used in a while.
At first glance, the idea of sorting rubber bands might not seem like it has many benefits! But once you try it, you might agree with me on how well it helps to calm the mind and reduce stress.
