You might have heard of more and more people letting go of physical possessions and becoming minimalists. But what does that minimalism thing even mean, and why would it be good for you, you ask?
First of all, let’s see what minimalism is all about. Living a minimalistic lifestyle means getting rid of all the clutter in our lives and keeping just the things we truly need. This way, we’re making space for what’s really, honestly important to us. Minimalism helps people see what adds true value to their lives more clearly. In short, by clearing the clutter from life’s path, we’re making room for the most important aspects of life: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution.
Alright, so that partly answers your question: “Why would I get rid of my possessions?”. But there is more; here are some more ways you can benefit from minimalism:
1. Better Concentration and Focus
Neuroscientists at Princeton University found that people with disorganized desks had weaker performance on various mental tasks compared to participants with tidy desks. They explained that clutter makes your brain multitask, which interferes with your focus.
2. Increased Creativity
The same Princeton study found that clutter can interfere with your creative process while clearing it makes more space for free imagination and creativeness.
3. Better Sleep
People who sleep in cluttered rooms often have trouble falling asleep and experience disturbances during their sleep, one study suggests.
4. Better Mood
Clutter sends your message that there is work to do, but also that you’re not having everything under control. Then, logically, it makes you stressed and lowers your self-esteem. Clearing clutter will help you avoid this.
5. Clearer Focus on Your Goals
Clearing clutter and keeping only necessary can help you understand what’s really important for you to be happy, and to focus on that.
All these benefits sound great, right? However, letting go of possessions, memories, or relationships can be a difficult task for most of us. Here is a good article on why it’s so hard for us to let go, and two ways to help you do it: http://mnmlist.com/how-to-let-go-of-possessions/
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References:
https://www.bustle.com/articles/136499-6-benefits-of-decluttering-your-life-according-to-science