40 Effective Ways Of Clearing Your Mind
Introduction
In this age of digital noise and multitasking, it can sometimes be challenging to get our brains just to relax.
When it comes to clearing your mind, the techniques you may find most successful will depend mainly on what is occupying space in your thoughts.
Being able to clear away the chaos so that you can focus, be present, and enjoy life is a real gift, and this list of forty suggestions is sure to have at least a few that will work for you.
If you try a few and you are unsuccessful, don’t give up. Like anything you are learning, it takes time to develop healthy habits, and clearing your mind is a wonderful mental health strategy.
40 Ways To Clear Your Mind
1. Write it Down.
Clearing away the clutter is sometimes just a matter of putting it all down so that it’s out there in the universe and no longer solely a part of your mind.
A 2013 study reported that writing things down makes your thoughts concrete, material objects, making them easier to manage (Treating Thoughts as Material Objects Can Increase or Decrease Their Impact on Evaluation, Briñol, et al.).
Whether you prefer to journal or blog, writing often brings clarity to what is actually weighing you down (as opposed to what you thought it was), and you can do it anywhere, whenever you have time.
Keep a small notebook in your pocket or bag or use your phone to write a digital journal entry. You can write about specific problems to help you find solutions, or you can just write about how you are feeling or what you are doing.
2. Talk to Someone You Trust.
Like writing, sometimes it helps to clear your mind when you talk with someone else about what is bothering you.
If you have a problem you are trying to solve, if you are working through some tough emotions, or if you need another perspective so you can let things go, talk with a trusted friend.
Talking can help you make sense of what’s taking up space in your head, thereby giving you the chance to let it go and move forward.
3. Get to The Gym.
There is a great deal of evidence that to support the power of endorphins from exercise as a great way to reduce stress and help you clear your mind.
Working out is a way to unplug for daily life, focus on our own body and mind, and work through your own issues while you work up a sweat.
The repetitive nature of the gym is good for clearing the mind, as you won’t have to think too hard about what to do, so you can focus on clearing away what’s troubling you.
4. Enjoy the Silence.
Take several minutes to just sit in peace.
Turn everything off, including your phone, computer, and lights. Put on some noise-canceling headphones if it’s just not possible to get rid of all the noise.
Just sit and breathe. Listen to your breath, your heartbeat. Focus on those things and nothing else. Don’t think about anything else for these minutes.
5. Read a Good Book.
Getting caught up in someone else’s story is a great way to clear your mind of your narrative.
Researchers at Brown have confirmed that distraction, such as with reading, is an effective strategy when your mind fixates on unwanted thoughts.
It can teach your brain how to ignore the unwanted thoughts (Attention Drives Synchronization of Alpha and Beta Rhythms between Right Inferior Frontal and Primary Sensory Neocortex, Sacchet, et al.).
Reading is a great way to learn new things, and if something specific is bothering you, then learning more about it may help you stop making it a part of your daily thoughts. A good story allows you to move beyond yourself, have empathy for others, and just relax and enjoy.
6. Get Plenty of Sleep.
When your brain is fatigued, it is hard to focus.
Sleep is a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle and brain function, so don’t neglect your sleep with things you need to do instead.
Feeling rested will give you the energy you need to deal with those things that are bothering you and quieting a restless and fatigued mind can be difficult.
7. Run Away.
Ok, not literally, but running outdoors is a great way to help clear your mind and refocus your thoughts.
The repetitive motion, the focus on getting from one place to the next, and the endorphins released by your body will all help you clear away the niggling thoughts and move forward with a clear mind.
Researchers studying exercise’s impact on mood and mental health believe exercise also provides a sense of accomplishment, which can assist with putting other tasks and stressors into perspective (Exercise for Mood and Anxiety: Proven Strategies for Overcoming Depression and Enhancing Well-being, Smit, et al.).
8. Practice Meditation.
Practicing true meditation is not an easy feat for a novice.
But, using meditation techniques and building up your meditative stamina can help you relax, release unwanted thoughts, and stay focused in the present.
Many mobile apps that will help you with guided meditation exercises that help eliminate stress, provide you with increased mental focus, and teach you techniques for clearing your mind at will.
Meditation is a long-standing psychological practice that many rely on to clear the mind, and there is evidence to support that it is useful in many different capacities for mental health therapy (Meditation and Psychiatry, McGee).
9. Be Mindful.
Mindfulness is related to meditation as both are ways to focus the mind.
To be mindful means to participate fully in an activity, silencing all the other distractions in your mind and just concentrating on the one thing that is in front of you.
Swedish researchers in 2018 confirmed the role that mindfulness can play in cognitive behavioral therapy (Mindfulness Group Therapy in Primary Care Patients with Depression, Anxiety and Stress and Adjustment Disorders: Randomised Controlled Trial, Sundquist, et al.).
This activity is a great way to clear your mind while also doing something, as opposed to meditation, which has a singular focus. Mindfulness allows you to engage in one activity at a time, leaving you feeling restored and less mentally divided at the close of each task.
10. Visualize.
Clearing your mind means different things to different people.
Close your eyes and imagine what your brain looks like when it is crammed full of all the competing demands, thoughts, worries, and fears that run around in there all day.
Now, actively visualize what your brain looks like when it is clear. Take a walk around your mental space, envisioning how it feels when your mind is restful and at peace.
When you start to feel competing thoughts coming back in, remember this image and focus on it.
11. Take it Out on Someone (or Something) Else.
Again, not literally, but working up a sweat through boxing, hitting golf balls, whacking a tennis ball, going to the batting cages, or any other type of physical contact can be beneficial.
Hitting something (or someone) can be just the thing you need to let go of whatever is bothering you, leaving you free to enjoy your clear mind after your workout.
12. Get Outside.
Connecting with nature is a great way to focus less on yourself and more on the bigger picture.
Take a hike, walk on the beach, go to a nearby park, lay in the grass and watch the clouds pass.
Focusing on something bigger than yourself can often help you put things into perspective, and sunlight and fresh air are always great catalysts for clearing your mind.
Stanford researchers in 2015 confirmed the beneficial effects of outdoor activity on mental health, including reducing depression (Nature Experience Reduces Rumination and Subgenual Prefrontal Cortex Activation, Hamilton, et al.).
13. Laugh.
When your mind is heavy, it is often easy to focus on the negative.
Watch a funny movie, see a comedy show, or hang out with friends who you enjoy, but make an effort to laugh and enjoy your time.
You will feel refreshed and focusing on something other than your thoughts for a time can help you let go of the ones that aren’t that important.
14. Get a Hobby.
Doing something you enjoy is a great way to distract your busy mind and let go of your thoughts for a time.
Hobbies are personal to each of us, so find something that you enjoy, then dive all in. Use your hobby as a temporary escape from the nagging thoughts of your day-to-day, and soon, you’ll notice there are less of these thoughts from which to escape.
15. Focus on your Body Language.
If negativity and less-than-positive thoughts plague your mind, look at how you are carrying yourself through your day.
Smile and others will smile back. Stand up straight to greet the day confidently, and you’ll feel more positive about many things. Your body language can be a sign of how you are feeling, and it can also tell people how to treat you.
16. Try Freewriting.
Unlike journaling, which usually focuses on a topic or an event, freewriting is more of a stream-of-consciousness activity.
When your brain is buzzing madly with too many thoughts or too much worry, try this activity. Sit down with some paper or at your computer and for roughly 5 minutes (or longer once you’ve done this a few times), just write.
Don’t stop writing for any reason, don’t focus on grammar or spelling, don’t even worry if what you are writing makes a lot of sense.
Let all those thoughts that are running around out and onto the paper, and just talk to the paper. Your mind will try to tell you what you should and shouldn’t write but resist that urge and just purge it all out onto the paper.
17. Make a List.
Sometimes, our minds are cluttered because we have too much to do or worry about, and we can’t get clear until we make sense of it all.
Write a to-do list, make a list of reminders, or write a “worry” list, so you know exactly what you need to accomplish. Writing it all down means you won’t have to worry about forgetting, which is another thing to think about, too.
18. Read Words that Inspire You.
It may seem a little corny but reading the great words of others can often help you find ways to deal with your stress or mental clutter. Looking at the words of great thinkers, leaders, and artists could help you find clarity to your particular situation.
19. Practice Gratitude.
Focusing on what you have to be thankful for is a great way to no get mired down in mental clutter. Whether you choose to write it down, talk it out, or just meditate on your gratitude, remember to focus on the aspects of your life that are healthy, strong, and happy.
A 2016 article in Psychotherapy Research confirms that expressing gratitude can have a significant impact on overall mental wellness (Does Gratitude Writing Improve the Mental Health of Psychotherapy Clients? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial, Wong, et al.).
Be mindful of your appreciation every day, and you’ll find your mind stops hanging on to things that aren’t necessary.
20. Breathe. Just Breathe.
Taking even just one minute to do nothing but breathe, focus on your breathing, and worry about nothing else but your breathing can be a great way to clear your mind.
Take deep breaths, slow down your rate of breathing, and just be present and focused on that for a few minutes. If it doesn’t seem to help, try for a few more minutes, or try again after you have returned to your task for a bit.
21. Know Where Everything Is.
Your mental energy can be drained daily from frustrating moments that involve lost keys, forgotten grocery lists, and misplaced cell phones.
Find a place for everything and always put things in their place. You’ll find yourself spending less time searching, less energy worrying about where things are, and less concerned with what to do if you can’t locate items.
Get yourself, your life, and your space organized, which will, in turn, help you get your mind organized, too.
22. Learn When to Say, “No, thanks.”
Whether it is taking on added responsibility at work, doing a favor for someone else, or going somewhere you don’t want to go, it’s sometimes okay to say, “No.”
When you are having trouble decluttering your mind, adding more to it can be the wrong choice.
Saying no doesn’t mean you aren’t a team player or a good friend, it just means you are focused on your mental health and well-being at the moment.
23. Do Something Mindless.
Each of us has that one activity you can do on auto-pilot, but it feels satisfying after you accomplish the task.
It might be folding laundry, doing dishes, going for a walk, swimming, raking leaves, or really anything that allows your brain to tune out.
The repetitive nature of these tasks means your brain can rest, which provides you with more energy for your later cognitive demands.
24. Make A Tasty Meal.
By focusing on the foods, you are preparing, as well as the ways they nourish your body, you can clear your mind of all the unnecessary white noise it produces throughout your day.
Cooking has many repetitive tasks, like chopping and stirring, that make it appropriate for our previous suggestion, too. Cooking can even feel like a ritual, something you do to take care of yourself, which gives you something to focus on rather than your runaway thoughts.
25. Take a Coffee or Tea Break.
Drinking coffee or tea can help stimulate your brain, giving you the mental energy, you need to focus and clear your mind.
The act of making coffee or tea is also a ritual and focusing on how the drink tastes and makes you feel while you are drinking is meditative, too. Too much of a good thing is just that, so don’t rely on stimulants to always clear your thoughts, but this strategy can be helpful when used prudently.
26. Get a Pet.
Taking care of something besides yourself is not only comforting but also alleviates anxiety.
Dogs, cats, and other pets are a great way to be mindful of how you care for something else, and their unconditional love can help you feel gratitude in your daily life. Spending time with pets reminds us to focus on the present rather than things we cannot control.
27. Be Generous to Someone Else.
When we feel a lack of balance or control in our lives, that is a sign that we should offer these to other people.
Many have noticed that, when you give something to others, you often see that same thing return to your own life. If you are out of balance in your thoughts, try doing something for someone else, something that would help bring them less stress and more control in their lives.
There are so many ways to help others and doing something kind for someone else is also a great thing to focus on rather than the thoughts that are cluttering your mind.
28. Start a Fire.
Staring into a roaring fire is actually quite meditative, and whether you build yours in a fire pit, next to your tent, or in your fireplace, lighting a fire and enjoying it is a great way to clear your head.
Watching the energy of a fire dissipate and rebuild as it uses its fuel is almost hypnotic, and anyone who has ever stared into a fire will tell you it’s an utterly unique way to de-stress your brain.
29. Don’t Put Things Off that Are Causing You Worry.
Decluttering your mind means getting rid of the things that are causing the clutter. If there are tasks in your life that just need to get done, then just do them.
Finish those tasks, so they no longer take up space in your mental domain. The anticipation of unwanted events is often worse than the event itself, so putting it off makes it more difficult, not less.
Once you commit to getting it done, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you can accomplish what you need, and how much better you’ll feel without the worry trailing you around.
30. Look at Something Cute.
We have all seen the YouTube videos of babies, puppies, kittens, and funny animals that make us laugh. When all else fails, and you can’t get your mind to rest, try watching a few of these to improve your mood and allow you to refocus.
Your brain needs breaks just like your body, so don’t forget to stop every once in a while.
31. Get Creative.
Whether you express yourself better through writing, drawing, sculpting, singing, acting, or creating in some other way, make something that is yours.
Use your creativity to explore your mind and heart, and you’ll see it paying in dividends when it comes to how many unwanted thoughts occupy your brain. A 2016 study examined the impact of creative activities on mental health and cognition and found positive results for those who engaged in these types of activities daily (Everyday Creative Activity as a Path to Flourishing, Tamlin, et al.).
32. Pay Someone a Genuine Compliment.
Being kind to others releases hormones that allow us to feel good, taking the focus away from ourselves and placing it on someone else. Be genuine in your compliment, or it won’t feel sincere. Enjoy how it makes you and the other person feel.
33. Make a Digital Junk Drawer.
Create electronic lists, notes, and saved ideas in one app or place. Once everything is there, sort out what’s important with what could be significant later but doesn’t need attention now.
These can go into the “junk drawer,” which serves the same purpose as the one in your home but is easy to search using keywords and allows you to hang on to ideas rather than odds and ends. Now, you won’t have to worry about losing the ideas, but you won’t have to carry them around mentally anymore.
34. Release the Negativity.
Remember that you are in charge of what’s in your mind, so if you don’t like what’s happening up there, decided to change it. Negative thoughts affect our mood and motivation, so banish them in favor of positivity.
35. Grow Something.
Whether it’s a houseplant, a window box, or a garden, tending to plants is a great way to clear your mind and focus on a productive task. Houseplants will purify your air and can lower blood pressure.
36. Tell the Truth.
Lying, even when you have good intentions, is a surefire way to add stress to your mind and clutter your thoughts with unnecessary things. Simply telling the truth ensures you won’t have to remember whom you told what to, and honesty will leave you feeling less frustrated in the end.
37. Stop the Interruptions.
Whether you are at home or work, tuning out so you can focus on the task at hand can sometimes be difficult.
Turn off your phone, log out of your email, or close your door if you are trying to accomplish a needed task. If necessary, remove yourself to another location to completely mitigate any disruptive forces.
38. Find Ways to Automate Chores.
Small, repetitive tasks that take up your time but don’t require a lot of mental energy are great opportunities for automation.
There are services, apps, and settings that allow you to set up reminders, sort incoming mail, send out pre-written emails, and respond to requests. Take advantage of this technology to free up mental space.
39. Eat a Healthy Diet.
Taking care of yourself means you’ll have less to worry about your health and your physical self will be better equipped to handle stress. Give your body what it needs so your brain can function well.
40. Get Help When You Need It.
When you’ve tried lots of strategies and still are having trouble clearing your mind, it may be time to seek the help of a professional who can offer you more advanced help.
Another person’s perspective can often be helpful and working with a trained professional can often help you get healthier faster than trying many things on your own.
Final Thoughts
The key to a clear mind is managing stressors that cause the mental clutter, practicing mental health exercises that distract and soothe the mind, and focusing on what’s important, so the rest just falls away.
By engaging in these mind-clearing activities, you can find mental clarity and peace of mind. Being able to clear your mind is an integral part of overall mental health, so keep trying new strategies until you find the ones that work best for you.