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thrivein the zone

ORGANISATIONThe advent of a new year usually comes with resolutions: “I will exercise more, I will eat better, I will work harder for that promotion…” But how can you manage to juggle all of the above, and more, if you don’t have the ordered space to do so? WH&F explores the many benefits of being organised (enhanced health included) and shows you how to get it done. WORDS: ANGELIQUE TAGAROULIAS

STATIONEighty-eight per cent of homes have at least one cluttered room, and four in 10 Australians feel anxious, guilty or depressed about their disorganised homes according to a national survey conducted by the Australia Institute.

While research indicates that being organised leads to greater clarity and has a multitude of benefits to your mental, physical and emotional health, it also depends on the individual.

In fact, some studies suggest that a messy environment can actually enhance innovation and creativity.

“While some of us love and thrive in a structured and organised existence, others feel that it chokes the life out of them,” says

psychologist Patrea O’Donoghue (positivepsychologystrategies.com.au).

“Some people say they benefit from sitting down to a clear, organised desk as they have fewer distractions taking them away from core tasks, while others find the busyness of a less than clinical home and office stimulating, freeing them to be spontaneous.”

The middle ground can offer compromise: avoid being rigidly organised or impulsively chaotic, but rather, organised with the flexibility to be spontaneous. Whatever your approach, the evidence is clear that working and living in an organised space (or at least in organised chaos) can be beneficial to your health.

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HEALTHY HOME HABITSFOODAs the saying goes, you are what you eat, and research has shown that your surroundings can influence your eating habits, specifically your ability to resist sweets. One study published in the journal Psychological Science involved participants completing tasks in a clean and orderly office versus a messy office, with those in the tidy room more likely to reach for an apple than a chocolate bar when exiting.

MIND AND BODYBeing organised means you have more time to plan a weekly workout routine and are more likely to stick to it thanks to clever hard-wired reward mechanisms. When we exercise, our bodies release endorphins along with feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine. Given your brain loves to anticipate profits, planning your exercise routine helps your brain to foretell the rewards it will receive, making you more likely to complete your workout.

Similarly, clearing your home office of clutter and creating space has the same connotations of a reward, especially if you’re someone who likes to be in control.

“Walking into a clear and orderly space can operate as a sign of one less thing to do, reducing the sense of overwhelm and stress you might experience otherwise,” says O’Donoghue.

“In some ways, being able to put your hands on a document at a moment’s notice acts as a reward, signalling to your brain that the effort you’ve put into creating a system of order is working. Achieving these little rewards helps to reinforce the habit and motivates you to continue the organised way of being – especially useful if you have a lot on your plate.”

THRIVEResearch shows that feeling in control of your work is linked to increased job satisfaction and reduced stress.

One study of 30 families in the US, published in Personality and Social

Psychology Bulletin, revealed that a messy home can raise stress hormone cortisol. Participants completed mood assessment reports and had their saliva tested for cortisol analysis over a one-week period, the results showing that a disorganised home environment is linked to poor mood and increased stress – which, if left untreated for prolonged periods, can lead to fatigue and even depression.

“Our bodies were designed to have short bursts of stress relatively infrequently throughout a month, but nowadays the average human experiences stress multiple times a day,” says O’Donoghue.

“Stress has an inflammatory effect on the body, and inflammation has been linked to a number of long-term health conditions.”

Less worry results in increased mental energy, as you don’t have unfinished tasks or projects lingering in the back of your mind.

“Having an organised home not only removes clutter from your environment but also de-clutters and relaxes the mind,” says creative director of One x One Interiors Christine Ghrayche (onexoneinteriors.com.au).

“Organising your home can reduce the stress associated with having a massive to-do list, whether it be unfinished renovations or general housekeeping.”

What’s more, a cluttered and disorganised environment can affect your ability to concentrate according to a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience. Researchers used physiological measurement tools to monitor the brain’s response to organised and disorganised stimuli and found that participants had better focus and performed tasks more effectively in an uncluttered and organised room.

RELATIONSHIPSOrganisation can also be beneficial to your relationships. How many household disputes start with dishes piled up in the kitchen and chaos in the living space?

That’s not to say you should be spending every waking minute filing documents and putting clothes away; there are negatives associated with being overly pedantic.

ORGANISATION GURU MAINTAINING ORGANISATION IS A WHOLE LOT EASIER IF YOU TURN IT INTO A HABIT – OR A NATURAL TENDENCY – SO YOU CAN KEEP A CLUTTER-FREE ENVIRONMENT WHILE ACTING ON AUTOPILOT.

Habits have three core components according to O’Donoghue:1. TRIGGER: the signal that activates

the behaviour – this could be a set time or even another behaviour for starting the organisation process.

2. BEHAVIOUR: start small and work to apply the new behaviour consistently. A simple strategy involves ‘if-then plans’; that is, if your trigger gets activated, then you do the specific new behaviour for getting organised.

3. REWARD: is about satisfaction.

Prioritising and creating to-do lists can also help, says positive psychology coach at Flourishing Mothers Kate Wilkie (flourishingmothers.com.au).

“Write down an achievable to-do list every day, which gives you an overview of the things that need to be done. You may have 10 things that need doing but it may only be achievable to do three of them one day,” she says.

“Research shows our ability to recall facts and ideas is heightened when we write them down the old-fashioned way – by hand. A handwritten to-do list will unburden your brain and make you more efficient, and ticking each item off your list once completed will give you a sense of accomplishment and a boost of confidence.”

“If it means you can’t relax because your house always has to be Vogue Living photo-shoot ready, then being organised might be a façade for anxiety and a fear of what other people might think of you,” says O’Donoghue.

“What’s more, applying high standards of being organised to everything can be a source of angst for an individual and those sharing their physical space.”

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28 womenshealthandfitness.com.au

BY GHRAYCHE

“In my experience, the biggest obstacle my clients face is the dread that comes with making that first step from being disorganised to organised,” says Ghrayche.

“As we all know, we accumulate a massive amount of stuff over the year, some useful and some not so much. The most effective way to overcome organisation issues is clever storage solutions.”

HOME OFFICEEverything in your home office (computer, printer, filing cabinet, stationery) needs a place to sit to make working as enjoyable as it can be. Don’t discard the cords leading out of your devices as they can be a real eyesore (and a hazard). There are some great solutions for hiding cords; for example, if you have built-in cabinetry, you can add a custom panel between the wall and the cabinet that helps hide them. You can also bundle cords together with cable ducting, which come in a range of colours that blend in with your walls.

LIVING AREAGiven the popularity of open plan living, storage for the living room is essential. It’s worth investing in sofas and ottomans with hidden storage compartments.

Positioning of furniture is also important. Many people make the classic error of pushing chunky and overpowering furniture against walls, making the space appear smaller; but just because it fits, doesn’t mean it fits well. Moving your furniture even a couple of inches off the wall can make a huge difference. But before investing in a new piece of furniture, measure your space and select a piece that is proportionate, not just the biggest one you can squeeze in.

KITCHENAgain, plenty of storage, including built-in cabinetry and a home for kitchen appliances and utensils, is vital. If you

love to cook and bake, you’ll need a bigger prep area, and a large oven and cooktop to avoid a cluttered and disorganised space.

You can purchase cabinetry designed to store the height and width of large saucepans comfortably stacked, as well as custom dividers for your drawers to vertically store oven trays and save space.

BEDROOMA disorganised and messy bedroom can induce stress and affect sleep. A poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in the US found that people who make their bed every day or on most days are more likely to get a good night’s sleep than those who don’t. Ensure all your personal items have a place and invest in petite furniture and built-in wardrobes to maximise your space and keep your clothing organised and packed away.

BATHROOMBathroom joinery and medicine cabinets are perfect for storing your everyday bathroom items so they’re not scattered across the vanity. Consider mirrored cabinets, which are functional while giving the illusion of space.

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