Okay, let’s talk about that moment when you’re staring at a coffee menu like it’s the SATs and suddenly forget how to human. 🫠 Raise your hand if you’ve ever stood in your closet for 30 minutes mentally screaming, “WHY IS THIS SO HARD?!” while debating jeans vs. leggings. waves frantically Hi, I’m Lucy, and I used to drown in tiny decisions until I discovered something wild: mental decluttering is the new black.
Here’s the tea ☕: Our brains weren’t built for modern decision overload. Columbia University research shows we make about 35,000 choices DAILY – from “Should I snooze again?” to “Is this email passive-aggressive?” By noon, our mental RAM is fried. I hit rock bottom when I cried over almond milk vs. oat milk lattes (RIP my dignity).
ENTER: Minimalist Mind Hacks
1️⃣ THE “NO-BRAINER ZONE” RULE
I stole this from Steve Jobs’ closet (minus the black turtlenecks). Every Sunday, I prep 3 identical work outfits and a weekly meal template. Boring? Maybe. But freeing up 217 daily decisions? Chef’s kiss. Pro tip: Start with one “decision-free” meal daily. My go-to? Breakfast smoothies with frozen berries, spinach, and existential dread. 🥤
2️⃣ THE 10-10-10 FILTER
Ask: “Will this choice matter in 10 minutes? 10 months? 10 years?” When I nearly had a meltdown choosing vacation Airbnb towels (Egyptian cotton vs. organic bamboo?), this slapped me awake. Spoiler: My skin survived regular towels. Shocking.
3️⃣ DIGITAL DETOX JUJITSU
I deleted 12 shopping apps cold turkey and replaced doomscrolling with analog joy. Now I:
– Read actual paper books (weird flex, I know) 📖
– Keep a “rage journal” for venting (highly recommend drawing angry cats in the margins) 🐈⬛
– Do “phone-free sunsets” where I just… exist. Revolutionary.
BUT HERE’S THE REAL SECRET SAUCE 🍔
Minimalism isn’t about deprivation – it’s curating what deserves your mental real estate. Like that friend who uninvites drama to brunch. I audited my “mental subscriptions”:
– Canceled: Caring about Instagram perfection
– Renewed: Weekly forest walks (my therapist calls this “ecotherapy” – I call it “not crying in Target”) 🌳
– New Season: Saying “no” without guilt-tripping myself
THE PAYOFF 🎉
After 90 days:
– My anxiety dropped 40% (tracked via mood app)
– I regained 2.7 hours/week (yes, I math’d it)
– My partner stopped hiding from “What should we watch?” conversations 🍿
YOUR HOMEWORK (don’t worry, no grades):
👉 Tonight, identify ONE decision that’s been haunting you.
👉 Ask: “Can I automate, eliminate, or delegate this?”
👉 Do that. Then go stare at clouds guilt-free. ☁️