Reduce Amount of Stuff ~ Make Space ~ CREATE

Maybe some form of de-cluttering is on your summer to-do list. I'd like to clear my desk, purge my wardrobe, organize the basement, get a handle on that avalanche of paper music, sort this pile, dump that pile, etc, etc, etc. I've taken the month of July off from teaching, but I don't see all that happening!

Part of the problem is the pain involved in making decisions about "stuff"... especially when the decision must be get rid of it. I was interested to read that the pain is real. No wonder the mantra running through my head as I tackle de-cluttering chores is, "Be brave!"

In today's modern world we deal with more than the obvious physical clutter. We have all that digital clutter flashing and pinging, keeping us notified at all hours. Studies show that all this clutter competes for our attention and overloads the senses, resulting in decreased performance, increased stress, and impaired ability to think creatively.

I came across this article by Mikael Cho: How Clutter Affects Your Brain and what you can do about it. Maybe you'll find it helpful as you clear the space necessary to have a successful music practice.

If you need me, I'll be bravely cleaning off my desk and desktop!