3 Scientific Reasons Clutter Can Stress You Out

Last spring, SUCCESS contributing editor Melissa Balmain embarked on a personal journey through the en vogue doctrine of neatness apostle Marie Kondo. Balmain might not have emerged a devout “Konvert,” but she did considerably reduce the clutter in her home, and gained a noticeable boost in mental and physical energy.

(For those who missed the height of the craze, the concept is fairly straightforward: Sort through every item in your home by category, and if an object does not “spark joy”—or at least have a necessary function—let it go. Kondo’s minimalism manifesto leads off boldly with, “I have summed up how to put your space in order in a way that will change your life forever.”)

Kondo’s method went mainstream in the U.S. after the English release of her first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, in 2014. In a New York magazine profile, Kondo explains that the first of her two titles on the art of organization (the follow-up, Spark Joy, published in 2016) was intended as a temporary solution for a lengthy list of clients in Tokyo waiting for personal consultations. Both titles reached the top of the New York Times best-seller list, Fox and NBC have a sitcom about her in the works, and in 2015 she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. It’s safe to say that KonMari, as she’s known, is the Beyoncé of decluttering.

I began noticing copies of the small book with its cloudy blue watercolor cover appearing with increasing regularity on friends’ coffee tables, and even on the desk of a fastidious uncle with a profound love for his label maker. Instagram posts popped up of pristine coat closets and sock drawers with captions involving the word “Kondo’d,” which somewhere along the way had become a verb.

I frequently purge the contents of my apartment, priding myself on fitting all holiday decorations into one (slightly bulging) box and waging a ruthless war against errant office papers.

Personally, I didn’t think I had a need for Kondo’s methods. Already a self-proclaimed “anti-hoarder,” I frequently purge the contents of my apartment, priding myself on fitting all holiday decorations into one (slightly bulging) box and waging a ruthless war against errant office papers. I didn’t give much thought to the cause behind my unflagging impulse to consolidate, and crossed my fingers that my significant other would continue to find it endearing when I hid sponges out of sight under the kitchen sink.

But recently I found myself on an unexpectedly long layover with no reading material, and the cloudy blue cover was in my direct line of sight on a backlit rack of best-sellers. It was a validating read; Kondo and I share a mutual aversion to old receipts and unsightly sponges, and her folding technique is spot-on (though I didn’t quite buy the personification of my socks). What I found most interesting, though, was poking into Kondo’s background—a habit when it comes to authors I enjoy. I learned that feng shui (the Chinese philosophy of achieving harmony with your environment) had been a major influence in Kondo’s study of neatness, and she was intrigued by the concept of creating “psychological distance.” In theory, feng shui can help avoid mental crowding through the careful arrangement of one’s possessions, which naturally pairs with Kondo’s minimalist methods.

Throughout her books, Kondo asserts that our bodies experience a physical and emotional reaction to tidying up. And it made me wonder: What’s the neurological effect of clutter on your brain?

1. It can (literally) hurt to let go.

In 2012, researchers at the Yale School of Medicine found that when individuals with hoarding tendencies were faced with discarding an object of personal value, two regions of the brain associated with conflict and physical pain showed greater signs of activity, the anterior cingulate cortex and the insula (the same areas that produce nicotine cravings). The stronger the connection to the possession, the greater the resulting feeling of psychological discomfort or anxiety.

Although most people don’t experience heightened ACC/insula activity to that degree, we can all identify with the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you finally decide to toss that pile of ancient bank statements or a Dave Matthews screen tee that shrank in the wash half a decade ago (both casualties of my latest sweep).

2. It can elevate cortisol.

According to David W. Ballard, assistant executive director of the American Psychological Association’s Center for Organization Excellence, many adults “operate in a state of chronic stress.” For some, coming home to a chaotic physical environment prevents the body’s cortisol (aka the “stress hormone”) levels from naturally declining throughout the day.

A 2009 study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that women who described their households as “cluttered” exhibited increased fatigue and depression with correlating high cortisol levels, and a research project by UCLA in 2012 saw a similar link. Cortisol is bad news for healthy brain activity, as heightened levels of the hormone can cause lasting negative changes in brain function and structure.

3. It can affect your ability to focus.

An excess of physical clutter can overload the visual cortex, competing for attention in your brain and interfering with your ability to focus and process information. You might not realize it, but an overflowing laundry hamper, kitchen table piled with papers and overflowing junk drawer can subconsciously be on par with a whining toddler, distraction-wise.

In a study by the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute, researchers monitored task performance when an individual was surrounded by organized versus disorganized stimuli; overall, subjects were more productive—and less irritable and distracted—in the clutter-free environment. This one is especially relatable; though admittedly I’m on the more neurotic end of the spectrum, I have a hard time doing anything at home before straightening up my entire living space.

The mess threshold differs for everyone (some even encourage embracing the clutter), and for those with “chronic” disorganization, joy is sparked by chaos itself. But for me, there are serious psychological benefits to making that monthly Goodwill run—and my sock drawer has never looked better.

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4 Ways Storytelling Can Make Your Personal Brand Pop

No. 1: You and your story need to be authentic.

Southwest Airlines, one of the most popular airlines in the country, started on the back of a napkin. Herb Kelleher, the former CEO, famously scribbled the business model on a cocktail napkin, and eventually the airline transcended startup status to become a massive corporation.

There were many reasons for the company’s success throughout the years, but one important factor was the use of storytelling to elevate the personal brand behind it. The anecdote about Southwest Airlines’ genesis is one that proves that the biggest ideas can start in the smallest, most unlikely places—and Kelleher’s personal brand made a huge impact on the company.

Storytelling isn’t the cornerstone of leadership, but it often enables leaders to connect with an audience in ways normal forms of communication fall short. CEOs like Kelleher, Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines and Steve Jobs of Apple are known for the ease with which they tell stories (or convert message opportunities into memorable interviews and teachable moments).

Personal brands can use stories to distill potentially complex issues down to digestible, relatable ways to draw a connection with the audience. Associating a name or product with positive, familiar imagery is just the type of strategy that helps it connect on a broader level. Leaders who use their own stories to build their personal following can have the same effect.

Make sure your story sticks.

Communication—from staff meetings to public speaking platforms—is all about the art of getting your message across. The best storytelling transcends previously built barriers and connects with the audience on multiple levels. When used effectively, it will become a major asset to your personal brand.

Harnessing the magic of a well-told story is a tough line to toe. Use these four tactics to ensure storytelling is something your brand can use to its advantage:

1. Make sure you and the story are authentic.

Whether you’re the protagonist, antagonist or just a supporting player, you should always be a storyteller. Never make yourself the whole story. The storyline and message must always be clear and delivered earnestly with no gratuitous commercialization or unnecessary distractions.

For example, Kelleher has an unusual personality, but that was never the center of his brand. The message was how he defined the business’s safety culture and encouraged a positive work environment.

He concentrated on the people who worked for him, the ability they possessed to do their jobs and how supportive he was of their decisions. This message, one of a considerate, caring work environment, is one Kelleher and Southwest can call back to in order to continue positioning the airline as one that takes the needs of its employees and customers to heart.

2. Riveting, invigorating messages are key.

Whether you like to use humor, irony, empirical evidence or any other technique to color your message, make sure it connects with your intended target audience. Branson, for example, used playfulness and good humor when presenting Virgin’s projects. He preferred a “cheeky” approach, one that not only distinguished him from his competition, but also trickled down into the public perception of his brands.

If a leader’s personal brand is built around interesting, entrancing backstories and messages, the public will have an easier time connecting with him and his professional brand.

Converting a regular message into a captivating one means engaging the audience from start to finish. Have the message come alive through your story, and enable the audience to feel as if they are a part of it.

3. Stay focused on the storyline.

Short is better than long, simple is better than complicated and less is always more. It’s been said a million times and the same holds true with stories. Don’t wander in the story and don’t add irrelevant details.

Remember why you’re telling the story in the first place. Richard Branson’s consistent use of his unique personality was one of the keys to the strong performance of his brand. In every way, his company demonstrates the same good humor that he possesses—a trait customers associate not only with Branson, but also with Virgin.

4. Be memorable without all the gimmicks.

Metaphors are great, but don’t simply offer them up for the sake of symbolism. Comparisons are delightful when they are relevant and plausible, but they should always improve the message, not distract from it.

There’s a reason Steve Jobs’ Stanford commencement speech is still referenced more than a decade after its deliverance. He understood that an authentic personal brand stems from what makes someone unique, using the metaphor of a person’s inner voice to represent that.

He encouraged students to pursue whatever it is that makes them stand out and build their success upon it. Brand building works similarly. Using a unique story or connection to evoke a positive feeling in your audience can keep your brand top of mind.

Kelleher, Branson and Jobs all delighted audiences with storytelling and were memorable because of their uniqueness, their personal brands. In each case, the result was a successful company with a strong relationship to its customers.

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Rohn: Success Must Be Attracted, Not Pursued

Personal value is the magnet that attracts all good things into our lives. The greater our value, the greater our reward. Since the solution for having more is becoming more, we must be in constant search for new ways to increase our value.

• Self-control
• The practice of discipline
• Patience
• Planning
• Intensity of effort
• The development of a well-balanced attitude
• Consistent activity
• The gathering of knowledge
• Frequent reading
• A sensible personal philosophy

All of these are examples of ways in which our value can be increased.

It is the acquisition of more value that we must pursue, not more valuables. Our objective must be to work harder on ourselves than we work on anything else. By giving careful attention to our philosophy, our attitude and our activity, we are making a positive contribution to what we are becoming, and in the process of becoming more than we now are we will attract more than we now have.

We become and then we attract. We grow personally and then we advance materially. Unfortunately, the vast majority seems to have the plan reversed. Their philosophy is this: “If I had more money, I would be a better person.” But that’s not the way life is designed to work. Having more doesn’t make us more. It merely magnifies what we already are. Those who cannot save a few pennies out of meager earnings will never be able to save dollars out of future fortunes. The same discipline it takes to put a few coins in a jar every week is the same discipline it takes to open a savings account or manage an investment portfolio.

Conversation about our intended progress will only take us so far and promises about the future will only buy us a little time. Promises must soon be matched by performance. If the results do not appear in a reasonable amount of time we run the risk of losing the trust of others in addition to our own self-respect. We may find that those who once believed no longer believe, and we will one day be left only with our well-intentioned, but unfulfilled, pronouncements. A loss of this magnitude is worth preventing. It is on the day when we discover our losses that we will taste the bitter pill of neglect. It is on that day when we will finally experience the agonizing consequences of self-delusion, procrastination and unkept promises.

Will we read the books, make the plans, make good use of time, invest a portion of all that we earn, polish our current skills, attend classes to develop new skills and get around better people in order to improve our chances for success? Will we tell the truth, improve our ability to communicate, use our journals and give careful attention to all the virtues that success requires? Or will we be content to let the time slip through our fingers like grains of sand while we slowly lose self-confidence, the respect of others, and perhaps even the few possessions and valuable relationships that our past efforts have managed to attract into our lives? Will we go on sitting idly by while our dreams diminish to memories, as hope gives way to remorse?

Surely not.

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5 Steps to Achieve the Life You’ve Always Dreamed Of

Consider this: Only 8 percent of the population will achieve their New Year’s resolution.

So why do we keep writing resolutions year after year expecting different results, despite the high failure rates? Sounds more like Einstein's definition of insanity.

Most of us fail to achieve our resolutions because unless we establish a clear and precise picture of who we want to be and what we want to do or have, it will never come to pass. You’ll keep on drifting aimlessly in your self-fulfilling prophecy, settling for who you see you are instead of believing in who you can become, never realizing your full potential and eventually giving up on your resolutions before you reach the finish line.

Aren’t you ready for a fresh approach this year?

It starts by creating a vision of who you want to become. Seeing is believing, so walk by sight and believe that your best days are ahead of you. Ready?

1. Picture your future.  

Anyone who’s achieved anything in this world started with a vision. Create a picture of who you’re becoming, not who you are today. Think of who you want to be and what you want to do or have. Imagine what it would look, feel, sound, taste and smell like. Snap that photograph of yourself according to your vision.

2. Focus on your potential.

Whatever you focus on expands, so shift your focus on your potential and the upsides of life, not your problems and the downsides. Seeing is believing, so now that you can see it, you can believe in the person you’re becoming. That picture becomes the new point of focus, your target, your measurable destination. Now you know exactly where you’re going.

3. Stick with it.

Keep your eyes on the prize. Never let your environment, other people’s beliefs or the limits of what has been done in the past shape your decisions. Even in the face of doubt or controversy, stick with it no matter what. Do not give up regardless of the difficulties you will face.

4. Walk in the direction of your vision.

Now that you know where you’re going and who you’re becoming, take daily action in the direction of your vision until you pick up momentum. Think of your vision as your destination and take steps in the direction of your vision. 

5. Be it.

All the cumulative actions, thoughts and behaviors will lead you in accomplishing your journey to be the person you created in the photographs. Live it.

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10 Things Successful People Never Do Again

We all make mistakes but the people who thrive from their mistakes are the successful ones.

“Never go back.” What does that mean? From observations of successful people, clinical psychologist and author of Never Go Back: 10 Things You'll Never Do Again (Howard Books, June 2014), Dr. Henry Cloud has discovered certain “awakenings” that people have—in life and in business—that once they have them, they never go back to the old way of doing things. And when that happens, they are never the same. In short, they got it.

“Years ago, a bad business decision of mine led to an interesting discussion with my mentor,” Dr. Cloud says. “I had learned a valuable lesson the hard way, and he reassured me: ‘The good thing is once you learn that lesson, you never go back. You never do it again.’

“I wondered, what are the key awakenings that successful people go through that forever change how they do things, which propel them to succeed in business, relationships, and life? I began to study these awakenings, researching them over the years.”

Although life and business have many lessons to teach us, Dr. Cloud observed 10 “doorways” of learning that high performers go through, never to return again.

Successful people never again…

1. Return to what hasn’t worked.

Whether a job, or a broken relationship that was ended for a good reason, we should never go back to the same thing, expecting different results, without something being different.

2. Do anything that requires them to be someone they are not.

In everything we do, we have to ask ourselves, “Why am I doing this? Am I suited for it? Does it fit me? Is it sustainable?” If the answer is no to any of these questions, you better have a very good reason to proceed.

3. Try to change another person.

When you realize that you cannot force someone into doing something, you give him or her freedom and allow them to experience the consequences. In doing so, you find your own freedom as well.

4. Believe they can please everyone.

Once you get that it truly is impossible to please everyone, you begin to live purposefully, trying to please the right people.

5. Choose short-term comfort over long-term benefit.

Once successful people know they want something that requires a painful, time-limited step, they do not mind the painful step because it gets them to a long-term benefit. Living out this principle is one of the most fundamental differences between successful and unsuccessful people, both personally and professionally.

6. Trust someone or something that appears flawless.

It’s natural for us to be drawn to things and people that appear "incredible." We love excellence and should always be looking for it. We should pursue people who are great at what they do, employees who are high performers, dates who are exceptional people, friends who have stellar character, and companies that excel. But when someone or something looks too good to be true, he, she, or it is. The world is imperfect. Period. No one and no thing is without flaw, and if they appear that way, hit pause.

7. Take their eyes off the big picture.

We function better emotionally and perform better in our lives when we can see the big picture. For successful people, no one event is ever the whole story. Winners remember that—each and every day.

8. Neglect to do due diligence.

No matter how good something looks on the outside, it is only by taking a deeper, diligent, and honest look that we will find out what we truly need to know: the reality that we owe ourselves.

9. Fail to ask why they are where they find themselves.

One of the biggest differences between successful people and others is that in love and in life, in relationships and in business, successful people always ask themselves, what part am I playing in this situation? Said another way, they do not see themselves only as victims, even when they are.

10. Forget that their inner life determines their outer success.

The good life sometimes has little to do with outside circumstances. We are happy and fulfilled mostly by who we are on the inside. Research validates that. And our internal lives largely contribute to producing many of our external circumstances.

And, the converse is true: people who are still trying to find success in various areas of life can almost always point to one or more of these patterns as a reason they are repeating the same mistakes.

Everyone makes mistakes…even the most successful people out there. But, what achievers do better than others is recognize the patterns that are causing those mistakes and never repeat them again. In short, they learn from pain—their own and the pain of others.

A good thing to remember is this: pain is unavoidable, but repeating the same pain twice, when we could choose to learn and do something different, is certainly avoidable. I like to say, “we don’t need new ways to fail….the old ones are working just fine!” Our task, in business and in life, is to observe what they are, and never go back to doing them again.

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Les Brown - Mind Set for Success

Listen to one of the world's best motivator, Les Brown on how to set your mind for success

The power of Belief - business mindset

This video explains how and why important is a strong belief for success

Getting Rich in Entrepreneurship Begins With Just Wanting to Help People

You want a nice car. You want a nice house, and lots of money so you can do everything you want -- I get it. But those things aren’t going to make you successful.

It’s like Jim Carey said: "I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer."

It’s what you give that counts.

How I started giving.

At 24, after half a lifetime of stealing and mooching, I came across a Zig Ziglar quote that struck me: “You’ll get everything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want.”

It made perfect sense. But what did I have to give? I’d been expelled from school, rejected by the army and, to complete the failure trifecta, I'd dropped out of college. Who could I possibly help?

It turned out to be more than I could imagine.

Since all my relationships had been fiascoes, I figured I could at least give advice on what not to do. Following Zig’s advice, I wrote to help people avoid the insane pain I had experienced in love. And it gave me purpose.

That purpose got me published. 

Related: 3 Secrets Behind the '80/20 Rule' of Giving -- and Getting More In Return

The audiences were small at first, but I got positive feedback. A couple people emailed me saying they needed to hear what I wrote. Nothing huge. But those simple comments were the first gold coins on my new giving path. It felt insanely good, and I was inspired to get better at writing so I could help more people.   

But in order to improve, I had to give up the habits that kept me from giving.

What I gave up in order to give more.

Porn was one of the first things to go. It didn’t inspire me to think outside of myself, or to be better than I was; it was all take, no give. And I realized porn was a big part of why I was still living at home at 24 -- it kept me complacent. Ditto for my laziness and negative thinking.

So I let those selfish habits go.  

Immediately I had more time and energy to write. I trimmed the fat from my life and started a positive feedback loop:

I got more positive responses from my audience, which got me published on bigger sites, which gave me opportunities to make money writing, which boosted my confidence to take bigger risks, which got me on even bigger publications. That allowed me to help more people, which increased my pay, my opportunities, my confidence, my value and my happiness.

What I got by giving.

As giving became my lifestyle, I gained all the traits I needed to be successful: discipline, confidence, commitment, patience, responsibility, honesty, resilience, vulnerability, focus and perseverance. 

Related: How Giving Could Become Your Default Weapon of Choice

I still lived with my parents when I started, but I was able to save enough money in four months to move out on my own. When I took the leap, I had faith to back me up. I knew I wouldn’t fail because I was giving everything I had to make life better for others.  

It wasn’t a cakewalk though.

I remember looking at my thirtith straight bowl of white rice and thinking, “I can’t do this.” But writing for other people was all I wanted do -- it was the only thing that made me feel whole. So I swallowed the hunger and pushed on. When rent was due, I always had the money. 

As I broke my personal barriers and struggled to succeed, my stories became more visceral, more valuable. I wrote on an empty stomach more times than I can count, but my heart was full. I was giving everything I had to help people just like me. I knew I would make it. 

And six months later I finally made my break. I got published on Entrepreneur.com, which gave me a larger audience and more people to help. I gave that audience everything I had and wrote the best articles of my life. My performance didn’t go unnoticed.

International companies saw what I had to give and they liked it. I got jobs that paid more in a day than I used to make in two weeks. When people saw my success, they hired me as their coach.

After a year of writing for millennials, I decided to take my giving to the next level. I created a website where I could share world-class advice on succeeding in business, life, and love. Giving has given me everything I love: my career, my independence, my happiness, and my purpose. 

How you can give more.

If you want to reach the next level of success, whether you’re at a dead-end corporate job or living with your parents, think about what you can give.

Related: 4 Ways Leaders Can Get More by Giving More

What talents, experiences, and passions do you have that could make life better for others? What’s preventing you from sharing those things? What could you give up in order to give more?

I found the answer to those questions with these daily habits:

Start a journal.

I can’t recommend it enough. Writing every detail of your day helps you discover what makes you valuable and what detracts. So get to know yourself with 15 minutes of nightly journaling.

Self-knowledge is your gateway to giving.

Forget about relationships.

Focus on you, on giving yourself everything you need to give selflessly. Resume relationships when you’re rich from all the people you’ve helped. Then you’ll be able to love someone for who they are, not for the insecurities you’re trying to fill.

Plan your day.

No matter how good your intentions are, nothing good gets done unless it’s scheduled. So plan everything. Plan your studying. Plan your working. Plan your exercise. Plan everything you want to do, and set goals for avoiding time wasters like TV and social media. Brainstorm what you’ll do tomorrow every night before you go to bed.

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