“Outer order contributes to inner calm.”
Gretchen Rubin
Modern life moves faster than our capacity to hold it all, and even the tools meant to help often give us more to manage. Sometimes we swing too far the other way, cancelling plans and letting the good moments fall away so we can get stuff done, get on top of everything.
Order gives you room to breathe so life stops chasing you and the meaningful parts of life can shine.
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.
Order 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.
When life feels back-to-back, order gives you space to breathe – and space for what matters.
From the outside, we look wonderfully organised – synced calendars, tidy kitchens, everything ‘handled’. But underneath, we’re quietly overloaded by a stream of tasks and a mental load that stacks to the ceiling. There’s always something to coordinate, project manage, stay on top of, reply to, remember.
Psychology spotlight - Cognitive load theory
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, even tiny ones, uses metabolic energy. Clutter adds micro-decisions – what to do with something, where to put it, whether it’s needed – so your brain burns energy faster and you feel drained more quickly.
