Great episode today and one you should pay close attention to. Ryan shares some great info that will not only make your office, desk, room be a much cleaner place but research shows you will get more done.
Get organized. If something is not adding value, it’s more than likely costing you—physical space, mental space, or maybe both:
In a study by the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute, researchers monitored task performance when an individual was surrounded by organized versus disorganized environments. Overall, subjects were more productive, less irritable and distracted in the clutter-free environment versus the disorganized environment where their stress increased. Researchers concluded that physical clutter in our environment can overload the visual cortex, competing for attention in our brain and interfering with our ability to focus and process information.
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 research by UCLA in 2012 saw a similar link. Heightened levels of cortisol can cause lasting negative changes in brain function and structure, leading to high stress and anxiety.
A sleep study conducted by psychologist Pamela Thacher found cluttered rooms put people at high risk for developing hoarding disorder are more likely to have sleep issues. This includes having trouble falling asleep and experiencing rest disturbances. Thacher points out that this leads to bigger problems. Besides slowing down your thinking and decision making, making it hard to function during the day, lack of sleep also leads to depression.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that people who spent time in an unorganized room were twice as likely to eat a chocolate bar than an apple. And researchers at Florida State University reveal a link between hoarding and obesity, noting that “people with extremely cluttered homes are 77% more likely to be overweight.” In a more organized home, there is more time to plan and more space to prepare healthy meals, as well to relax and eat more slowly.
