Mental clarity can be tough to find if you’re surrounded by physical clutter – it raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increases the likelihood of experiencing anxiety, emotional exhaustion and problems with focus and sleep. Clutter has also been linked with procrastination and unhealthy lifestyle choices. Not what you need if health, performance and emotional balance are your goals. Clearing a path through the junk could give you valuable headspace – and workout room. Win, win.
As decluttering’s best-known champion Marie Kondo puts it: “Tidying your physical space allows you to tend to your psychological space.” Whether it’s a whole spare room or just an unloved corner, creating a wellness hub in your home is an efficient way to carve out some breathing space and create a retreat from the chaos of Zoom meetings, late-night emails and family life that leaves so many of us feeling burned out.
What to do with it? Whatever nourishes your soul. Think meditation, yoga or weights, reading, journalling or painting, or any combination of the above. In interior-design land, wellness spaces have been trending since the pandemic, when making space for self-care at home surged up the priority list.
Onto the practicalities. If you can, choose somewhere with good natural lighting, which will make the space feel bigger and airier. Otherwise, a big mirror (perfect for keeping an eye on your form if your take on self-care is a home gym) and soft, white bulbs will help to create a similar effect.
Once you’ve settled on a location, it’s time to declutter. Pull everything out (everything!) and prepare to be ruthless. “Gathering every item in one place is essential because it gives you an accurate grasp of how much you have,” says Marie. “Only keep things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard the rest.”
Shed the needless junk dragging your wellbeing down – your mind will thank you for it
According to Marie, the decluttering process helps us to identify our values and reduce doubt and confusion. “The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming, not the person we were,” she says.
So visualise your goals for the space you’ve opened up. If you have a larger space to work with, break it up into zones. If unwinding is priority number one, you could set up a reading area in one corner (think a comfy chair or beanbag, cosy cushions, snuggly blankets), and a yoga area elsewhere (ample room to stretch, oil diff user, storage space for mat, bolster and strap).
If it’s a home gym you’ve set your heart on, you could have a weights corner, a cardio zone and a matwork area. Word of warning: don’t try to cram too much in. You can do a lot with a small space, but if an overenthusiastic three-legged dog is going to fell your new squat rack, you need to rethink.
You don’t necessarily need to repaint, but a fresh coat or two will help the space feel new. If it’s all about restoration and rest, choose lighter colours for a calming ambience – pale blues and greens are said to help with focus and productivity. If high -energy workouts are your thing, opt for a brighter shade to boost energy and motivation – orange and yellow work well. Finally, accent your space with a few beautiful (to you) objects that, in Kondo-speak, spark joy. Think framed photos or prints, luxurious throws and precious keepsakes. Aaand relax.
If your lifestyle is holding you back, it’s time for you to tackle the clutter
Breathwork is another key tool for your kitbag. “For many athletes, breathwork is a fundamental part of performance as it can hugely aid self-regulation and emotional control,” says Kate. “Focus, concentration and the ability to enter ‘the zone’ are important aspects of sport,” agrees international breathing expert Patrick McKeown. “Using your breath, you can consciously access this psychological control. Once you master this skill, it permeates every aspect of your performance.”
Most of us don’t think about how we breathe, but learning to breathe properly can increase anaerobic capacity, lessen fatigue and promote anaerobic glycolysis (a means of producing energy during short, intense eff orts) with lower risk of injury, he explains. “Athletes who breathe too hard during exercise will gas out too quickly,” he adds. “They become physically and mentally exhausted and lose performance before they know it.”
The simplest solution? Close your mouth, at least during mild-t0-moderate intensity exercise. Breathing through your nose engages your diaphragm, which improves its function and strength, and has knock-on benefits for lung gas exchange, circulation, oxygenation and recovery. It also calms the nervous system and keeps your airways nice and clear.
Incorporating breathing exercises into your routine will teach you to breathe more efficiently, save you energy and help you maintain focus during exercise, explains Patrick, who offers free guided breathing tracks on the Oxygen Advantage YouTube channel. The clear advantages of regular practice include better endurance, better sprint rep performance, increased mental clarity, reduced performance anxiety, reduced injury risk and better sleep. Worth a try? We thought so
