Is it normal to feel depressed after the holiday?
How to pull yourself out of depression?
Fourth of July is over, all the guests have gone home, the parties are done, and the summer is half gone. If you are feeling a little bit of the post-holiday blues, you are probably not alone.
Did you know that decluttering is actually associated with better mood patterns? Scientists at UCLA did a study in 2010 based on previous research showing that certain patterns of cortisol (the “stress hormone”) throughout the day correlate with symptoms of depression and compromised relationship functioning. Cortisol peaks in the morning upon waking and generally decreases throughout the day. Their study found that for women especially, daily descriptions of their homes as stressful using words associated with clutter correlated to cortisol levels that dropped more slowly throughout the day (meaning higher feelings of stress). These women also reported more depressed moods as the day went on. However, the opposite was true as well. Women who described their homes with “restorative” words had cortisol that dropped more quickly and “reported less depressed mood as the day went on.”
The Five-minute reset
So if you are feeling a little bit let-down after the holiday, try some quick decluttering. A “Five in five” challenge is the perfect way to start. Set a timer for 5 minutes and pick the room you spend the most time in, even if that isn’t the messiest one. Once you start the timer, challenge yourself to find 5 things that can leave the room. This could include obvious garbage which goes to the trash can. It counts things that already have a dedicated home somewhere else that just need to move there. Take them there immediately (don’t make a pile!). Or it can involve items obviously for donation without any hard thought. Take those to the front seat of your car where they will be out of the house and reminding you to drive by your favorite donation center the next time you are out. If you hit 5 things and your timer is not up, look for 5 more. The more family members you involve, the more you will get done.
The Payout
By the end of the 5 minutes, I guarantee your space will look better, and you will feel better, too! Work fast and hard for those 5 minutes, but resist the temptation to work past 5 minutes. Just enjoy the victory! This will lead to increased satisfaction without burnout, so you will be more likely to do a 5 minute challenge the next day. And it is daily habits, not marathon sessions, that make the biggest difference in the long run.
If you do need help with those big projects, though, contact me today!
