Can you also not wait for Spring to begin? The first warm days and rays of sun already greeted us the past few days. After some turbulent times when not only the cold weather forced us to stay inside, we are grateful for the first signs of spring. But this year things are a bit different. On your first flower-filled spring walk you might find just as many disposed facemasks as flowers in the flowerbeds. The corona measures have created a new breed of pollution. Not only facemasks are becoming problematic: our homes might also deserve some decluttering after all those weeks spend at home. The windows that are no longer see-through, the dusty bookshelf that is too high to reach collected quite some dust bunnies, and not to mention the amount of dirt under the sofa. It’s time for a traditional Spring Clean Up!
Not really what you had in mind? Well, maybe this blog will help you not only declutter your home, but also your mind and body.
Train the mind
For most of us, cleaning is not that enjoyable. Once you start, the cleaning progress never seems to end. But this might exactly be the problem! We see cleaning as something that needs to be done as quickly as possible.
But what if we give all our attention to the task itself? What if we take cleaning as an opportunity to be fully present? The warm water running over our hands when doing the dishes, the feeling of a soft cloth when dusting. Try to find enjoyment in each movement when you vacuum clean. When doing so, cleaning becomes more than a chore it becomes a mindfulness meditation.
In its essence, Mindfulness describes the state of focusing on what you’re doing in the very present moment itself – NOW. Studies have revealed the following benefits of mindfulness on our wellbeing:
It increases your focus
It makes you more resilient to stress
It increases compassion
It improves mental health
It relieves early signs of depression
Cleaning is the most common practice in all forms of Japanese Buddhism. It is believed that spirituality is pursued by cleaning, cleaning, and cleaning some more. Japanese Buddhism does not separate the self and the environment. You are part of the environment and the environment is part of you. So, cleaning is an act of respect for the wholeness of the world we live in.
So clean house, clean mind? Yes! Here are some techniques:
Don’t rush! Take your time even if that means that you won’t finish the task soon. Even better, ignore time! Try to stay in the now.
Get rid of distractions. The fewer distractions, the easier it will be to focus and be present. So, put away your phone, turn off the tv and kindly remind your mind that it can stop thinking about work or whatever might worry you.
Focus on your breath! If you get distracted try to let your breath guide you back to the practice.
Be kind to yourself! This practice should be enjoyable and effortless. If you get distracted bring the attention back to cleaning. If this happens over and over again, great! This is the practice.
Be thankful! If you get rid of things, thank them for having served you. This is a great practice to find new gratitude for your environment and to enjoy the little things in life. Still doubtful? Check out cleaning expert Marie Kondo, who combines her minimalist lifestyle with gratitude for all that has served her in the past.
Be curious! We often get distracted because our mind thinks the activity or present moment is not interesting enough. You can trick your brain by being curious and trying to see things from a different perspective. How warm is the water? Can I blow bubbles with the soap?
Appreciate! If you are done with cleaning, take a moment to appreciate your practice. If you do not get done, appreciate that even more! Sit down, take a few deep breaths, pay attention to how you feel, and then thank yourself for the practice.
If you struggle to remember these techniques, feel free to listen to the following video. It will guide you through a dishwashing meditation. Yes! You heard that right, a dishwashing meditation. Enjoy it!
Train the body
Cleaning can be a perfect opportunity to train your body, especially if you do it outside. You might have heard of it. Plogging is the newest trend and already reached the Netherlands! The trend started in Scandinavia where environmentally-conscious runners have started collecting trash during their runs. Carrying a trash bag to collect litter, they found a creative way to make cleaning fun and healthy. Plogging stands for jogging and plucking, and the practice is as simple as that. Every time you bend down to pick up some trash, you sneak in a little core workout. Is that not great? Of course, we think that trash should be put in the bins in the first place but becoming active is better than complaining. This creative solution can also be integrated while walking, hiking, and even diving or swimming! The possibilities are endless, and fun is guaranteed.
Ploggers share their collection of trash on social media which has created a community of enthusiastic pollution-fighters. So, don’t worry that you are alone! There is probably already a fond community within your city that you can join.
-Written by Kevin Sedleger