Spring cleaning- how to clear out your life and make room for a better you

By Jarod Lawley

We at Future-Proof believe that success is often built with less. Fewer distractions equals more focus. In a world of 24/7 chaos it can be hard to declutter your mind and engage in deep work, or even relax properly. Both are important for the intelligent entrepreneur. These products will teach you valuable lessons about how to focus on what matters, and how to cut out the stresses and disturbances that are holding you back.

12 Rules for Life Don’t let world-famous academic Jordan Peterson’s conservative reputation put you off the valuable lessons available in what was one of last year’s best selling hardbacks. His ’12 Rules for Life’ teach traditional mantras about conscientiousness, responsibility and kindness. This ‘Antidote to Chaos’ will help you strengthen your mind against the worst excesses of our society, and adopt a confident, straight forward outlook, that will help any diligent mind to focus. Penguin Books Ltd. £20

Photo courtesy of Penguin

Declutter your Life: How Outer Order leads to Inner calm. Teaching a similar lesson to Peterson is this paperback from Gill Hasson. In less than 200 pages she guides us through a thorough ‘spring cleaning’ of life’s unnecessary distractions, modern complexities, and damaging baggage. Helpful for both your professional and personal life, the principals here are about taking control of what is important to you. The best thing about this book is that it’s filled with practical tasks, written pragmatically and with end-goals in mind. With Hasson’s straight-forward advice, you will be able to clear out not only your physical world, by throwing away unnecessary and useless belongings, but organise your social world, focussing on the relationships that enhance your life, and disposing of that only hinder. Jon Wiley and Sons Ltd. £10.99

Photo courtesy of Wiley

Headspace: Even in 2019, meditation still has an elusive reputation as a mystifying spiritual activity, with mastery more achievable for monks and hippies at yoga retreats than for serious young entrepreneurs. However, if you want to follow in the footsteps of Jeff Weiner, Oprah Winfrey and Arianna Huffington, then this is a form of relaxation that you need to embrace. Through guided meditations and a simple daily plan, Headspace teaches you that you don’t need to be an expert to reap the benefits. Free. Available via App Store

Photo courtesy of Apple App Store

If you prefer to go it alone, Calm has a fantastic collection of peaceful background sounds for you to complete your own timed meditations. It provides the option of bells to keep you focussed, and tracks your meditation times to keep you motivated. For nights when you’re feeling too wired to settle down, try their Sleep Stories, read by narrators such as Stephen Fry and Bindi Irwin, to help you drift off and wake up feeling more refreshed and productive. Free, or premium version for £36 a year. Available via App Store or Google Play

A great way to improve your focus is to filter out what is not important, by writing down what is. Put your goals to paper and you are more likely to achieve them. What’s the advantage of a classic notebook such as these journals from Moleskine over your phone’s notes app? Disconnecting from your screen can help boost creativity, and these handy books are perfect to leave by your bed for moments of midnight inspiration. Classic notebooks from £10.99.

Sleep Cycle's intelligent sleep analysis. Photo courtesy of Sleep Cycle

We know that as the summer approaches and the days get longer, it can be even more tempting to burn the candle at both ends. Sleep Cycle is a great way to track your sleep and restore your precious 8 hours without the expense of a FitBit or products such as the Phillips Wake-up light. The app sets of an alarm to wake you up when you are in a natural phase of lighter sleep, so you can get out of bed early, but without the jolt. Free. Available via App Store or Google Play.

This may seem unusual, but a great way to improve your quality of sleep and to feel invigorated and ready for the day is to bath regularly with salts. Tom Ford swears religiously by regular baths as part of his daily routine for improved productivity. It’s also beneficial for your skin, leaving it smooth and with a noticeable glow. If you work out and exercise regularly, soak a couple of times a week to reduce muscle soreness. These mineral salts from Dead Sea Spa are affordable and packed with magnesium to help relieve the stress and tension that you’ve built up during the day. £5.99 for 1KG at Holland and Barrett.

Project founders Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. Photo courtesy of The Minimalists

Finally, some Netflix. The Minimalists. This documentary uncovers the west’s obsession with consumerism, and why it could be an obstacle to your success and happiness. Some of the world’s most accomplished people such as Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama embrace minimalist lifestyles to remove unwanted distractions, allowing them to focus on the important decisions. Minimalism isn’t about leading a nomadic existence, instead it teaches discipline, value, and inner calm. Take this as a starting point on your journey towards true focus, and for further inspiration, listen to the wildly successful The Minimalists Podcast. Free. Available via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify or YouTube.

Plus, watch our video on minimalism and life decluttering for entrepreneurs!