by Linda W. Arms
Even before my accident I would set news goals for myself when a new year started. I continue to do that and would like to share some ideas with you. All of us with injured brains need to make our lives as easy as possible. A big part of this is to simplify our surroundings so we don’t have so many things to look at that make our brains work harder than they need to. The more things around you, the harder it is to find what you need. Too many pieces of paper, books, knickknacks, and other stuff on your desk makes it more difficult to function. Too many things in your closet make it harder to figure out what to wear or to find what you are looking for. Start your new year by eliminating that clutter. Move things that you don’t use or hardly ever use out of the way so you don’t see it. You will be more productive at your desk if you can focus on just a very few things at a time. It will be easier to find your clothes and decide what to wear after you move things you don’t use out of your closet and drawers. Each thing around us is a piece of information our brain has to deal with. It has to process the visual input, it has to decide “is that what I want or am looking for”, it might have to decide that you have to pick something up and move it, and many other things. Don’t make it harder on your brain than you need to. By simplifying your surroundings you will reduce brain fatigue and be more successful. So get started and get things out of your way! I have to work on my space too, its gotten a little overwhelming again.