Clutter and Chaos: two things that can give you enormous stress

Being organized is one sure way to beat stress. It is said that removing clutter in your home or at work can even help prevent anxiety attacks.

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stress and anxiety

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Clutter and chaos are the two things that can really cause stress and anxiety to just about anyone. People who often lose their car keys, billing statements, or just about anything important often experience a frantic search inside every nook and cranny of their home.

Constantly losing property and small yet important things can be such a time-waster. Add to that the enormous frustration of not knowing the location of something important at the time when you need that something the most.

But there is a way out of the clutter and chaos. Our lives shouldn't be too complicated or cluttered with a million and one things that we hardly need. Most people have piles and piles of junk, even expensive ones, in their garage, den, bathroom, sleeping quarters, and just about every room in the house where they can stash their hoard of goodies.

So how do we remove clutter and prevent chaos in the home or in the office?

The obvious answer is to keep everything in its proper place. Keeping surfaces in the home and in the office is important. We must be able to have a sense of order and constancy in how our lives and properties are arranged. The same works for any big or small office.

In practical terms, we must learn how to be good organizers. Having a filing cabinet where all important documents can be cataloged and safely kept is not just good for the office but for the home as well. The cleaner and tidier our surroundings look, the less distraction there will be. Another way of un-cluttering and reducing the semblance of commotion in your home is by setting aside spaces where you can keep things based on its category or type. For example, all kitchen utensils should be set aside in a cabinet in the kitchen. All tools and supplies for the car should be in the garage. In short, never mix different things in one place or container.

Here are more ways to find and take care of hidden clutter in your house:

1. Closets- have appropriate storage space for towels, coats, sweaters, scarves, and shoes. Make used of empty shoe boxes you can used it for your knick knacks or paraphernalia like stationaries, sewing supplies or scrap-booking supplies. Get rid of items you no longer used. You can discard it or donate it to charitable institutions.

2. Basement/Attic- Get rid of your old old holiday decorations, tons of unused boxes, broken toys and electronics.

3. Garages-You probably have some unused sports and camping gear stuck there so have those things put up for a garage sale.

4. Under the bed- there might be useless baseballs lurking under your bed and other things that shouldn't be there.

5. The cupboards in the kitchen- there might be broken cups and saucers, China and nonfunctional oven toasters and rusty waffle makers.

6. Filing cabinets/Desk drawers -your desk is an important place where you do some productivity so if your desk is so disarray with papers, pens, pencils and what have you, certainly it affects how you think and make decisions. It gives you an unfocused mind if you are surrounded with clutter.

Stress Busting Solutions:

4 Habits of a highly effective organize person:

1. Write Down-a small notepad or notebook will do. Write down the areas that you need to do the filing, cleaning, arranging, task to do or better yet used a calendar to program your de-cluttering activities.

2. A place for everything-find appropriate places for each items like your house and car keys, important papers, your magazines, the children's toys. the books,dvd's and labeling them is a aid that will help you remember

3. Clean as you go- make it a habit so it won't pile up and takes your energy for the clean up sessions. Clean up the mess as soon as possible.

4. Simplify- develop a system on which you can have routine and procedures for the whole family to work on. Deal with your mail, paperwork, bills to pay, laundry, errands like going to grocery or mall. Once you have develop a system be sure to maintain it in order to stay organized.

Having a poor self-image is a leading cause of stress and anxiety

Having a poor self-image

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stress and anxiety

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There was this movie shown way back in 1992 called “Single White Female.” The main characters are played by two famous actresses named Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The character “Allie” is a successful software designer in the “Big Apple” who always found her climb up the career ladder and her personal life as both less than ideal. After asking her boyfriend to move out of the apartment, Allie opened up some space for a possible roommate. After a succession of possible roommates whom she found to be “weirdos”, she was able to settle on having shy lady named “Hedy” as a companion, albeit a paying companion in the apartment.

Hedy turned out to be another weirdo. Hedy became so obsessed with Allie that she even copied her looks, way of dressing, and literally assumed Allie's identity. Somehow, Hedy found security in assuming the relatively happier life of Allie.

The character of Hedy actually demonstrates the loneliness and perils of a person suffering from inferiority complex. This inferiority complex is nothing new or rare. In fact, many women especially young girls are experiencing this form of low self-esteem. An inferiority complex is a nagging feeling of never being able to be “good enough.” It is being so “uncomfortable” with how one looks, speaks, or moves. It is a total lack of appreciation for one's self. Inferiority complex is an extreme lack of self-esteem, self-confidence, and having a constant feeling of inadequacy.

For some people their concept of self-worth is based on the affirmation of other people. Affirmation, or confirmation, in the form of a friendly smile, a handshake or simple “hello” decides whether a person with an inferiority complex would feel good about himself or herself. The need for social approval is one underlying needs of persons with low self-esteem. When a person lacks social skills, he or she develops a self-pity mode which may eventually lead to stress and anxiety. According to Alfred Adler, a well known Austrian psychologist, “the inferiority complex” is derived from physical disability or from faulty relationships. This complex is a “need” to validate one's self.

Some of the causes of inferiority complex include:

l Socio-Economic Causes - This is a common cause and mostly felt by people from a lower socio-economic class or people who worked for wealthy families. Seeing other people living in higher standards makes the person from the lower class blame himself for not being successful or for not being able to provide a better life for his family.

l Physical Causes - This results from a physical defect or lack of appreciation for one's physical appearance. Some people feel inferior for being overweight, being too skinny, or being too short. Because of their physical conditions, these people think of themselves as less important than others.

To defeat the ill-effects of low self-esteem, here are some tips to feel better about yourself:

1. Never compare yourself to others

2. Work along with others, be a team player

3. Participate in worthwhile activities

4. Don't neglect yourself-you can improve yourself through going to school, attending workshops, seminars

5. Focus on the positive side of your life- be thankful for what you have

6. Read famous people who had overcome their failures and adversities especially people who becomes rich by sheer hard work and determination

If these tips don't help, your last resort may probably be to get proper counseling or in extreme cases get the advice and services of a psychiatrist.