As discussed in the prior "monkey mind' post, we're bombarded by thousands of messages every day, most of them stemming from our own minds.  The result is a feeling of turmoil.

Clutter can increase our sense of chaos.  Some downfalls of clutter include:
1. When we look at clutter, we feel anxious.  This is because clutter is an outward manifestation of an internal state of turmoil.
2. If our homes or work spaces are filled with clutter, it is hard to find what we need/want.
3. Clutter is just one more thing we have to take care of.  This visual reminder of our unattended to-do list can distract us from the rest of our to-do list.

We all have internal and external clutter.  The solution to both is organization.

Today we'll focus on the source of the clutter: the internal clutter.

Internal clutter appears to us as mental chatter.  One of the most effective tools to manage mental chatter is writing it down.

Let's say you're ruminating over a difficult situation at work.  Or you have a mental to-do list running through your head. Here's what to do:

1. Take out a notepad and write it down.  It may seem silly to write down a thought like "My boss probably hates me because I turned in a shoddy report," or "I have to remember to buy coffee filters."  However, if you don't write these thoughts down, chances are they'll keep hounding you until you've found a way to satisfy them.

2. Sort out your thoughts into categorical buckets: emotionally-charged issues, to-do list, what-if's, etc.

3. Address each category separately, with the to-do list category as the final category.  The goal is to boil everything down into your to-do list.  For example, the above thought about the shoddy report can best be addressed as an action item.  This may involve talking to a co-worker to gain perspective on the quality of the report, addressing the situation with your boss, or resolving that you did your best and giving yourself permission to move on.  What-if's might involve "what if I quit today?"  If this is a serious thought for you, set aside time to think about all the options available to you, and play them out to see what might serve you best.

4. Prioritize the to-do list.  This is the boiled down actionable list of all of the mental chatter that's been haunting you since before Halloween.  By addressing the concerns - no matter how trivial they may seem - on your list, you eliminate the need to ruminate on them.  As an added bonus, as you cross each off your list, you'll feel an added sense of elation and achievement.  Enjoy this feeling, you've earned it!

5. Don't try to be a superhero.  You don't need to do everything today.  Once you've prioritized your list, assign each item to a specific day.  Your list of assignments may stretch out a month or more, depending upon the relative urgency of each item and the other priorities and action items in your life.

6. Rest assured you've done your best, and all will be taken care of.  If these thoughts occur again, take out your list and assure yourself that everything will be addressed in due time.  Feel free to re-prioritize items that appear more or less important.

7. This is a working document.  As new thoughts appear, address them, prioritize them, and add them to your list.  Celebrate each success, and look forward to each new task as a new opportunity for achievement.