Introduction
Having a clear mind is essential for productivity and creativity. It allows you to think more clearly, remember information, and make better decisions.
The modern life has its advantages and disadvantages. While we can surround ourselves with luxuries and things that make life simpler, we also have to work hard to be successful. A full life with a thousand engagements makes the mind baffle. Any modern person does not have the time to sit back, relax, and do absolutely nothing. The result is most of the people suffer from stress, anxiety, and impatience. Only if we could empty our mind of all the rushing thoughts and worldly desires we would develop our personalities, get an understanding of the soul, and enjoy the recreation we deserve and crave.
Clearing the mind of useless information and things that are out of our control is necessary if we want to live a human life. There are many ways to clear your mind, but I have outlined five of the most effective methods below. Try one or two of them and see how they help you focus and improve your mental clarity!
When does your mind become unclear?
There are many reasons your mind may become unclear. You may be overwhelmed or stressed from events in your life. Also, sometimes overthinking on useless details or figuring out a solution to a problem that is out of control makes the mind unclear. Scattered thoughts, lack of attention, and too much pressure also play a part in confusing your brain.
In fact, the reasons for an unclear mind depend on case to case, and there can be as many as there are thoughts. However, there is a pattern, and we can simplify the process to understand the root cause of why the mind becomes unclear.
Desire and Ambition
There are two major factors to why you may feel mentally paralyzed. The first reason is desire and ambition. Wanting a lot of things that are out of control leads to emotions that hinder the calm state of mind. With desire and ambition comes anger, greed, attachment, pride, and jealousy. These emotions stop you from thinking judiciously and patiently. As a result, you will give up all positive thoughts and lose the balance of satisfaction vs growth. However, to rid one’s self of desire and ambition is only possible by a practicing Yogi. Although you can’t or won’t choose the path of Yoga, you can suppress your ambition to where it does not interfere with other parts of life that give you pleasure and satisfaction. However, if this mystical science of ancient India intrigues you, read a detailed article on the principles of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras here.
Overload of Duties
Solution to the first part solves most of the problems for an unclear mind. What remains are the problems that confuse your mental state even when your egotistical grandiose doesn’t consume your thoughts. Sometimes, a person bites more that they can chew. The reason can be many, like if people are depending on you, or if you are fixated on a single thing while other duties pile up your checklist. You can fight with these problems by taking advantage of the civilization. Delegate your work, take a break, and leave some things to time—by simply asking for help, you can unburden yourself and find out some time to realign your thoughts.
If you have identified why you have an unclear mind, you can work out a plan to find solutions that suit you. The basic solution is to counter the problems I mentioned earlier, but there are many ways in which you can do this. Here are some simple yet effective means to clear your mind of confusion and negativity.
How to clear your mind: 5 effective ways
1. Distract from Stress or Dominating Thought
One way to clear your mind is to distract yourself from stressful or dominating thoughts. To remove the cause of stress may not be practical every time. There are things you cannot solve, or you have to brave through. But distracting from such stress will help you realign your state and prepare you for the future efforts. You can do this with other people of alone if you like. Here are some examples.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, try taking a quick break to breathe and relax. This will allow you to come back with more clarity and focus. Watch a funny video, read an interesting article, or talk with a friend. This will help you take your mind off of what’s stressing you out and allow it time to relax and reset.
Make time for leisure activities in a natural surrounding. Nature has a way of rejuvenating and clearing the mind. Try hiking or biking, taking a walk outside, or sitting in a quiet room surrounded by trees and flowers. Being surrounded by natural beauty may help you clear your thoughts and focus on positive things.
Engaging in physical activity has been shown to improve health both mentally and physically because of the release of endorphins (feel -good hormones). Being physically active can help clear your mind and improve your focus. Listening to music or podcasts alone (or in combination with another activity) has the same effect on your mind. When you fixate on a thought and you cannot get it out of your system, try music or a run, or even a nap, and it will help you with an unclear mind.
2. Practice Creative Writing
Creative writing can help trigger your imagination and improve mental clarity. You can do this on a personal level or with others.
For example, writing in a journal about your internal and personal feelings gives you time to think and process your thoughts and prioritize your works. It feels silly but is true that sometimes we forget ourselves. We are so busy with our calculated lives and monotonous activities that we forget about our personal identities. Living in the world of predominant notions and dictated behaviors takes away our capability for diversity. What’s more is we do not even get the time to think why we do what we do. Writing a journal can re-spark that humanity and help you figure out your personal motivations and character.
Also, you can write something that other people can read. Start a blog or join a discussion forum—you can discuss the things that are happening to you and get help from others. Social media is a big hit in the modern world, so why not use it for the better? Instead of sharing selfies, we can engage in a more text-based communication. Text takes more time to write and read, thus giving us more time to organize our thoughts and reach to a suitable solution. When you put your thoughts out into the world, it will surprise you with the solutions that a group can come up with.
You can also produce an artwork or come up with a plan for your next project. This type of creativity allows you to be innovative and explore different solutions to problems. A fresh perspective or distancing yourself from problems can work wonders sometimes. So, try one or more of these writing habits and they will help you with an unclear mind.
3. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness can help clear your mind in more ways than you can imagine. It is a practice of being present in the moment, which can help you relax and let go of negative thoughts. Researchers have found that mindfulness meditation can decrease stress levels, improve mental health, and increase creativity.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, try practicing some form of mindfulness to clear your mind and regain focus. There are several ways in which you can practice mindfulness. Read about them in this article.
The basic principle around this theory is to be present, which you can do while working, walking, or resting. If you can train your mind to be aware of your thoughts, body, and its surroundings, you can organize your thoughts, cut out the unnecessary things and learn to work on one thing at a time. This practice not only clears your mind but also helps in an overall character development. After practicing it only for a few days, you will find that you have started living a healthy, conscious, and happy life.
4. Practice Meditation
Meditation is of various kinds, including mindfulness, but all methods have one thing in common. Meditation is the practice of focusing on the formation of thoughts. You imagine your body, surroundings, a mantra, or a god, and you concentrate on it either by cutting out everything else or relating other things to it. This practice helps you in developing your thoughts and expanding your mind.
Studies have shown that meditation helps in relieving stress, recovering from trauma, and curing mental problems. If practiced properly, it improves digestion, and helps with metabolism. Meditation practitioners often use their brain at high efficiency and hence it helps improve memory, creativity, and other cognitive abilities. It is a holistic way of improving life, and with its effects comes the benefit of clearing your confused mind. To know more about how meditation affects your brain, you can read this article.
You may start with shorter spans and develop a habit to help you with your daily life. If you are stressed or overwhelmed, it can relieve your stress instantly, and regular practice comes with long-term effects. So, find the right type of meditation and start practicing. There are plenty of guided meditation apps or online resources to help get started.
5. Be Positive
In the end, if you try all options, but cannot clear your mind, remember that these tips work on the theory of psychology. They are not pills that you take to cure a fever. Until you are not in the right state of mind, these tips will not help you. So, remember that being positive and happy in daily life is a must if you want to recover from an unclear mind. Every individual is unique and hence has different ways of staying positive. Some people find inspiration in books or movies, some find it in their thoughts, and some with other people.
However, we are social animals, and connecting with other people helps promote a positive outlook on life and reduce stress levels. Not only humans, but connecting with pets, or even plants (gardening) has the same effect on our mind. Read this article about psychological tips on how to be happy.
Another way to clear your mind is through positive affirmations. Say inspirational phrases such as “I am capable,” “I can do this,” and “everything will be alright.” Repeating these words aloud may help you believe in yourself more fully and set realistic goals for yourself. You don’t have to sound lame in front of a mirror while you practice this. Instead, try to repeat these phrases with your friends and family—doing so, you are consoling both your friends and yourself. Alternatively, you can also sing a song or a poem that has such feelings (you will find lots of motivational songs and poems in all genres and times).
If these techniques do not work for you, there is no harm in even venting out your negativity with some heavy exercise, screaming at the top of your lungs, or head banging at a metal concert. Just remember that staying negative for a long time is harmful, and you have to find any means to change that state to one where you appreciate your life, the world, and other beings.
Conclusion
So, whether you’re trying to clear your mind or just want to improve your mental health, practicing mindfulness, writing creatively, and spending time with friends and family can all help. Some of these techniques will help you instantly, after you are baffled with confusion, while others will prepare you for long-term calmness and teach you to avoid unclarity. You can try some or all of them and you will see that your life has improved with these small, daily changes.
