Things build up day after day, week after week, and month after month. A new year offers hope for a clean slate, but we sometimes forget about the opportunity of a new day. Why do we have to wait for January 1st for a fresh start?
This morning when I opened my computer, I was overwhelmed with the documents and photos I recently saved to my desktop. I’m usually pretty good about putting digital items where they belong, but in the midst of working on several projects over the past few months, I let things go. It was easier to “save to desktop” than to think about streamlining my work flow. Creating a clean slate is going to take a little time, but once it’s done, it will only take a few minutes each day to maintain.
If you’ve ever gone the dentist after not flossing for a while, you know what I mean. All of the extra scraping and cleaning up could have been avoided by flossing consistently and creating a clean slate each day.
What areas of your life are in need of a clean slate?
Is it your …
- inbox or desktop?
- kitchen table that holds more paperwork than meals?
- calendar or to-do list that is on a perpetual roll over plan?
- diet that you plan to whip into shape tomorrow or the day after that?
- household clutter that never has a place of its own?
I’ve struggled with each of those things from time to time, and find the most clarity and freedom when I clean the slates one at a time.
Make a list of the slates you’d like to clean and start with one. Once you’ve reset to zero in that one area, spend 5 – 10 minutes a day maintaining a clean slate. After a week or two, start on a new area of your life that deserves a clean slate.
If you are tempted to let things build up because you don’t have the time or energy/focus to maintain a clean slate, remind yourself that eventually you will spend the time … at the dentist, or moving files, or putting stuff away. A clean slate practice today will save you the agony tomorrow.
You don’t have to turn your life upside down, or wait for a new year to enjoy the benefits of a clean slate. Give each day the opportunity for a fresh start without the overflow and excess from days and years that came before.
Create the promise of a new day with a clean slate.
Tonya@Budget and the Beach says
December 2, 2015 at 6:46 pmLove this! I often wonder why people wait for “Monday” or Jan 1st to start something. It’s such a drag to tackle so much at one time. Every day is a new day. Every moment even. You can “clean slate” on not just physical stuff, but mental stuff too, whenever you like!
Donna says
December 3, 2015 at 8:15 amYep! Mine is the perpetual rolling over to do list! It’s the bane of my existence! But I’m not going to let us be any longer. Giving those items a deadline and sticking to it!
Carolyn Bostic says
December 4, 2015 at 2:00 pmKitchen/dining table is totally my 1st slate that needs conquered. But there are so many others that need done before a deadline (Feb 1st). Family photos to be sorted then placed in an album (I pray!). Childhood paperwork, other memorabilia to be gone through & consolidated into the smallest no. of boxes I can squeeze the “keepers” into.
My most victorious move has been (with much help to clear in the 1st place) to maintain an uncluttered, un-stacked, able-to-sit-down-in living room for 2+ yrs. And that was hard to do some days. Lol