“Out of clutter, find simplicity.”
Albert Einstein
Nobody puts "do three loads of laundry and file my tax return" on their vision board. But order is the quiet scaffolding that holds everything else up.
From the outside, we look wonderfully organised – synced calendars, labelled Kilner jars, everything 'handled’.
But underneath, the mental load stacks to the ceiling – more to coordinate, keep tabs on, more ‘stuff’ to stay on top of and relationships to maintain than any generation before us. Even the productivity apps send seventeen notifications a day.
Too much time spent on life admin and we miss out on life itself. But just the right amount of order and the meaningful parts of life can shine.
Are you on top of life, or is life on top of you?
G O I N G D E E P E R
Psychology
Cognitive load theory says your brain can only hold so much at once. When too many things compete for space, you can’t think straight.
Inside the body
Every decision you make uses metabolic energy – and clutter is full of tiny ones: what to do with it, where to put it, whether it's needed. It adds up and drains you faster than you realise.
Did you know?
Those days where you’re busy from morning to night but never feel you’re actually getting anywhere? That’s time confetti – when days are chopped into tiny fragments by micro-tasks and interruptions and you never get to the longer, more satisfying stretches of time.
At work
Every time you switch tasks, it can take up to 23 minutes to fully refocus. Having fewer loose ends and open loops reduces the switching and the need to keep resetting your attention.