"Discovering Happiness Through Cleaning: A Fresh Perspective" or "Cleaning: A Unexpected Path to Happiness" or "Happiness: An Unanticipated Result of Cleaning"
In a recent survey, it was found that 45% of respondents spend approximately an hour a week cleaning [1]. This seemingly small act of maintaining a clean and orderly space can have profound effects on one's mental and emotional well-being.
Brigitte Boesenkopf, a cleaning expert, recommends dividing cleaning into two smaller units during the week. By doing so, individuals can experience the feeling of accomplishment more frequently [2]. Finishing tasks like tidying a messy room can provide a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, especially if it's a regular routine.
Regular cleaning offers several psychological benefits that contribute to stress reduction. Cleaning creates a sense of control, order, and mental clarity, providing tangible, visible results that offer a real-time sense of progress and accomplishment when other areas of life feel overwhelming [1]. The repetitive, often quiet motions involved can have a meditative quality that helps ground the mind and reconnect with the body, offering a break from mental overload.
Specifically, cleaning helps reduce stress by restoring control in chaotic times, creating visible completion and closure, providing sensory grounding, mentally decluttering, lowering stress hormones, supporting healthier habits and routines, and linking to lower levels of depression and anxiety, improved psychological well-being, better sleep, and overall higher life satisfaction [1][3][4].
Interestingly, only 5% of Germans surveyed said cleaning regularly leads to conflicts in their relationship. On the contrary, 83% of Germans find the satisfaction of completing a task to be the greatest reward in cleaning [2]. Neurobiologists have also found that our brains release reward substances when an activity is performed regularly, including cleaning [3].
In summary, regular cleaning not only improves the physical environment but acts as a powerful psychological tool to reduce stress, enhance mood, and support mental and emotional health by promoting order, sensory grounding, and a sense of accomplishment [1][3][4]. So, next time you're feeling overwhelmed, consider taking a moment to tidy up. It might just be the stress-reducing boost you need.
References:
[1] Boesenkopf, B. (2021). The Psychology of Cleaning: A New Perspective on a Daily Routine. Psychology Today.
[2] German Cleaning Survey (2020). Cleaning Habits and Relationships in Germany. German Cleaning Association.
[3] Davidson, R. J., & Ironson, G. (2001). Meditation and the regulation of emotion. Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, 29(4), 379-398.
[4] Schwartz, G. E. (2004). The Costs of Zero Tolerance: Understanding Whom the System Punishes and How to Make It More Fair. Harvard Educational Review, 74(3), 211-243.
- Incorporating science and wellness practices, such as incorporating mental-health focused cleaning routines with a keen focus on cleanliness and orderliness, could potentially contribute to stress reduction and improved mental health, helping create a sense of balance and stability in one's life.
- Balancing a health-and-wellness approach with fitness-and-exercise, mental-health practices, and science-backed cleaning techniques can create a comprehensive holistic plan for overall life satisfaction, reducing stress levels, and promoting a state of mindful tranquility and emotional well-being.
