Feeling the winter blues?: 6 mind-clearing habits to try at home

Delusion is not the solution; it's actually the root of the problem. And during winter, it seems the chilling winds freeze our minds even more. Sitting at home cosied up under layers, also gets you analysing the layers of your life, jumbling all your emotions and thoughts. But according to experts, taking some small steps to declutter your mind can bring in that sense of peace you've been craving. Mental decluttering is the practice of externalising the thoughts, worries and mental tasks that crowd the memory and getting them out on an external medium, explained Brooks Lape, mental health expert and founder of Start Your Recovery to Vice. Here are 6 easy ways to declutter your brain this winter.

They only require a few minutes of your day but keep you calm for the rest of it. Set a timer for 10 minutes and write everything that comes to your mind without editing, censoring or organising. "The time limit prevents rumination and forces you to move on after emptying your mind," said Lape. Do this every morning or at night to clear your head and prevent your thoughts from disrupting your life.

After you dump your thoughts on paper, Lape recommends organising them into three categories. These include immediate action items, things to process and things to release. In cognitive science, there is a theory of "cognitive offloading" that shows that our memory has limited capacity. By moving tasks to external storage like lists, calendars or apps you can make space in the mind for complex processing. Highlight urgent tasks in one colour, things that can wait in another and those that don't need your concern with a cross.

After you've dumped all the surface thoughts inside your brain, it's time to analyse what's settled on the inside. While many think of journaling as this woo-woo practice that is just a social media aesthetic, it is actually one of the best steps you could even take towards self-care. Penning down your feelings can help you process them and figure out any repetitive issues or patterns that you need to tackle. Make sure to end the session with gratitude so that you end the task on a positive note.

Through your written thoughts identify problems you keep on facing repeatedly but put on the back burner to stew on later. These open mental loops can be tasks you've always wanted to do, conversations you have been saving for later or decisions you are hesitating to make. Treat each item with three options: do it now if it takes under two minutes, schedule it in your calendar if longer or release it by acknowledging you won't be doing it.

Winter also comes with a rise in seasonal depression. It is a type of depression associated with changes in seasons and often starts in the fall and winter. This is where TikTok's winter arc comes in. It is basically deciding that rather than worrying about your life, you will use these months to improve it. Before you begin your daily workout, do a 5-minute brain dump to clear the mental barriers.

You are what you surround yourself with. If your physical space is cluttered with objects it is going to make you feel cluttered and stressed. Every day assign 15 minutes to visible decluttering, clear your workspace, your closet, your digital devices and more. "By reducing external chaos, you’re giving your brain fewer stimuli to process, which is especially valuable when seasonal factors are already taxing your cognitive resources,” said Lapel.

As an adult in this world, where you face multiple troubles at the same time, you can sometimes feel like the heavens above really need to give you a moment to just breathe. From friendship breakups, romantic situationships and workplace politics, there are days when everything cracks on you together, and this feeling can be more intensified during the winters. The mellow in the environment can amp up the volume of the mellow in your brain. But rather than crying over it, maybe just pick up a pen and let it go.

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment and before changing your diet or supplement regimen.