Category: Mental wellbeing | My Happy Home

Mental wellbeing

Mental wellbeing, Organising, Simplicity
How Tidy, Beautiful Spaces Impact Mental Health
- 14/06/2023
- 0 comments
- by Helena Zachariassen
Have you ever noticed how much your environment actually impacts you?
Remember that inexplicably strange feeling when you walk into a room and simply want to turn around and leave? Or spending time in your favourite coffee shop that smells so divine and has the most comfortable lounge that you have a hard time leaving?
The truth is every environment has a significant impact on our health. In our modern world, however, many environments cause us stress, lack of focus, and illness due to being mismatched with how our brain functions.

Brain research and our environment
What does brain research have to do with the environment we live and work in? A lot, actually. According to WHO, mental health conditions are increasing rapidly worldwide. Designing and creating interiors, architecture, and environments that activate the brain’s natural healing mechanisms to enhance health, sustainability, and quality of life is crucial.
Neurodesigner and author Isabelle Sjovall has studied this fascinating connection between our brains and environments and emphasises in her recent book “Designfulness” that design is a constant presence in our lives. To make the most of it, we need to actively shape our environments rather than simply being passive recipients of them.
Designfulness can be used when choosing materials, furniture, colours, lighting etc., to enhance our well-being.

What can you do to actively change your environment?
On a larger scale, you can’t obviously impact the architecture and design of your city, schools, offices and other public environments unless you want to get active in your local community and politics. But you can start small and transform your home and potentially your workspace, at least on the inside.
As you might have already guessed, the first step is to declutter. Most people have too much stuff, and no wonder it feels stuffy and stressful at home (or at work!) when piles of things need attention.
Here’s my top-10 list to start your journey to more lightness and being in control of your environment:
1. Start small and tackle one tiny area or category at a time
2. Spend max 15-20 mins/day on your mini project. Otherwise, you won’t finish
3. Make sure you focus on keeping only what brings you joy and is useful
4. Get rid of items that you haven’t used in the last year
5. Donate or sell items in good condition that you no longer need or want
6. Group similar items together and store them in a way that is logical and makes sense to you and your family
7. If you need to buy something new (other than necessities), think twice before clicking “buy” or simply sleep on it first
8. ‘One in – one out’ principle. Make space for the new item by getting rid of something you no longer use and need
9. Add two bins to your recycling area for 1. donations and 2. items to sell. Take action when they’re full.
10. Maintain the decluttered state by regularly editing, organising and letting go of excess items.
How does a tidy space affect us?
If you’ve ever tried reducing and re-organising your home or workspace, you will know how wonderful that feels. You may feel lighter, unburdened, more in control, focused and energised. Until it’s untidy again…
An organised space can positively impact one’s mood in several ways:
1.Reduced stress and anxiety: An organised space can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety by reducing clutter and making it easier to find what you need
2. Improved focus and productivity: A tidy environment can help you focus on the task at hand and increase your productivity
3. Boosted mood and confidence: Being surrounded by an organised space can lead to a boost in mood and confidence
4. Increased relaxation: A decluttered space can create a sense of calm and relaxation, which can positively impact your mental well-being
5. Better sleep: An organised and tidy bedroom can promote better sleep, leading to a more refreshed and energetic mood
Overall, having an organised space can help create a positive and calm environment, leading to improved mood, well-being and relationships.

Does your space need to be visually beautiful too?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Beauty is in the viewer’s eyes and means different things to each and every one of us.
In my experience working with many clients, I always make an effort to make the space visually attractive so that the end result is significantly different from the starting point. It is an absolute game-changer, in my opinion. Usually, I beautify a space simply by using what the client already owns, just placing and decorating things differently, and giving the items more space to breathe.
Additionally, think about what increases your feelings of cosiness in your home. Is it having plants, flowers, a fireplace, candles, and many pillows and throws? Is it board games with your loved ones, good food, reading books, listening to music, watching TV, gardening or drinking a cuppa?
Make a list to see what makes you tick, and make an effort to add some of your favourites to your home for regular self-care.
Much love and happy simplifying,
Helena
Previous

Next
Read More
Business, Lifestyle, Mental wellbeing
Success defined. Be the change you wish to see.
- 01/03/2023
- 0 comments
- by Helena Zachariassen
It’s a fact. Most people don’t like change. Change has two very different sides. On the one hand, it can be positive, exciting and joyful; on the other hand, too much change feels overwhelming, messy, time-consuming, and takes up a lot of energy we simply don’t feel we have. It means jumping out of our deeply rooted comfort zone. Deep down, we might still long for change and a desire to feel more successful, happy, and content with our choices in life.
So what can we do if we desire change but don’t want all the discomfort that comes with it?
We must STOP the inner chatterbox and break down our LIMITING BELIEFS. We need to start LISTENING inwards rather than just ACTING.
We need to LET GO and subtract before we can ADD. We need to BALANCE our feminine (being) and masculine energies (doing).

They say to make a vision board and start goal setting. I say…
…get out of your head and take a day or two to get blissfully pampered! Yes, I mean it, literally. Focus on YOU and your heart’s and body’s deepest desires. Give yourself that luxury treatment, that first-class experience you might only dream of giving yourself and yet we all deserve so profoundly, regularly. What you decide to pamper yourself with is irrelevant as long as you deeply enjoy it, may it be a bath, a walk, an uninterrupted long night’s sleep at a hotel, a concert or a massage.
At first, it might feel strange to care for yourself so profoundly, especially if you’re not used to it. Try to get into the FEELING of change rather than forcing and creating change with your MENTAL knowledge. That part comes, but only later.

What is Change?
When we talk about change, it’s quite often all about those big, stepping-up visual goals like changing jobs, moving houses, losing weight or running a marathon. We don’t really talk about the small changes behind closed doors within us, and I want to shed light on those. Because those tiny changes are the ones that genuinely help us initiate change for good. And they are the motors for the big changes.

You Already Know
I wish I could tell you that all you need to do is a 10 min meditation, scribble down a few ideas on a piece of paper and glue those cool dreams on your vision board and you’re done manifesting change for the new year.
I wish I could tell you that you could delegate implementing change to a partner or a therapist, or a coach like myself.
I wish I could tell you it doesn’t matter where you look for inspiration and goal setting.
I wish I could tell you that hiring the “best” therapist or joining that “best” education program is the answer.
I wish I could tell you that trying harder, doing it all by yourself, working more and performing your life is the answer to bringing about change.
It just doesn’t work that way.

There Is Only One Answer
And that answer is YOU – Trusting yourself and your inner wisdom and listening deeply. Journal if that’s your thing. Get a coach to help sort things out.
Creating that mental space. Seeing, validating, and understanding yourself and your own unique human design, desires and natural talents and gifts.
Creating from within.
Creating and living Your success story.
Creating space for a life you LOVE.

The Outside Affects The Inside
Look around your home or your office. Look more closely at the space and the objects, the people and the environment that surrounds you. How does it make you feel? Ask yourself:
Are you relaxed and at peace? Does it uplift you and make you smile?
Is it beautiful, tidy, and organised?
Do the people around you make you feel seen, heard and loved?
Are you anxious and stressed by unfinished tasks?
Is it messy and chaotic? Cluttered?
Is clutter causing tension in your home/your office/your relationships?
Do the people around you cause you stress and pressure?
We start feeling out of control whenever we feel overwhelmed by clutter or emotional stress. We don’t know where to start or how to fix things, and we freeze—paralysis analysis. We do nothing.
I know these feelings better than you can imagine. Why? Because I’ve been there too. When your stuff (physical and/or emotional) takes over, it’s hard to truly feel at ease. When you lose control, it’s hard to know where to start.
When the external and/or internal mess piles up, it’s hard to feel at home. Within your physical home and your bodily home, and your own skin.
Make sure to find a way to create environments that lift you up and take good care of all homes – your body, your living spaces and your work environment.

Mental Health Check-In For An Amazing Life
I’m feeling great
I’m doing ok
I’m starting to struggle
I’m having a hard time
I need to reach out for support

Let Go and Live More Simply
In today’s consumerism society, it’s hard to be heard if you feel and think differently. I dare to challenge this and invite you to my world and the philosophy of life that We already have all we need and where we allow ourselves to let go of all that doesn’t serve us.
Guilt free.
Shame free.
Of course, we will need to acquire certain things from time to time, but on a general level, we have more than we need of everything. And at the end of the day, this movement of transforming your physical and mental environments translates into
More freedom to do what you love
More time to focus on loved ones
More harmonious relationships
Less anxiety and overwhelm
More space to receive what you desire
I know I certainly don’t have it all figured out, but being more aware is the first and most crucial step.
So, what does your success look like? I would love to hear all about them.
Happy creating, and all my love.
Read More
Lifestyle, Mental wellbeing, Tips
How to BE more and DO less this autumn
- 01/12/2022
- 0 comments
- by Helena Zachariassen
Life can get so cluttered, both physically and mentally, that you don’t even realise it. One of my immediate goals in life is to be able to have more freedom. It includes simplifying my living spaces and mind so that I have less stuff to manage daily, both physically and emotionally. Because at the end of the day, this way of life, or lifestyle, also gives me precious time back. What I say yes to are things that I really value, and that means something to me on a deep intuitive level.
How about we all focus this summer on living more simply? Read on for some tips on how to feel lighter and more content with life.

Simplify your home
When you choose to own less, you choose to own your possessions too, instead of the other way around. You will have more time for what you really care for and more money to spend on the things you truly value.
“Owning less means less cleaning, less burden, less anxiety, and less stress each and every day.”
-Unknown
You can always start small and declutter one tiny area each day, i.e. your wallet, car, beauty products, bags, beach gear, garden shed, water bottles etc. Give it no more than 15 mins per day and then go out, have fun and celebrate your accomplishment!
However, if you’re totally new to decluttering, do ping me with a message so I can help you get started, as it might be an overwhelming task, and all you get is more stress, which we certainly don’t want.

Focus on the essentials and get out of debt
Living simply is as much about honouring our environment as it is about honouring ourselves and our values. Could you challenge yourself to only focus on the essentials for one season and not buy more unnecessary things?
Everyone has a different comfort level regarding the ideal amount of possessions, so do remember not to force your level of comfort onto other people. Find your own contentment level, and you’ll feel more aligned with yourself.

Be selective about what you say yes to
Being selective isn’t always a walk in the park. It’s a tough one, especially for those of us living far away from friends and family and going back home seasonally. So many friends and family members to see and parties and get-togethers to attend…but all of this goodness might also become a trap. Bless them; what your friends and family don’t think about is that you have already organised your home and family for the holidays, packed, travelled and finally settled into your temporary accommodation. You might need a break too!
Of course, you also want to see your people, that’s part of why you go back home, but it might just all become too much. And the last thing you want and need is conflicts with your near and dear ones.
So how can you solve it? It’s pretty simple. By being extremely and harshly selective. By organising maybe one get together with more people instead of separate meetings with them all. Not everyone will like it, but this is about honouring your boundaries and what makes you feel good. Trust your instincts.
Or as Greg Mckeown so aptly puts it: “If it isn’t a clear yes, it’s a clear no.”

Schedule empty days
If you’re new to the concept of scheduling empty hours in your calendar during the week, this is the next level of the fantastic deep work you can access by choosing emptiness. It is the ultimate self-care for autumn. Your time to do absolutely nothing but what your heart desires. Put away your phone and read, swim, meditate, journal, stare at the stars…and be conscious about the changes within you that will take place, slowly but surely.
Focus on sleep and nourishing your best YOU
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but sleep is vital for everything in life! And I confess that I don’t sleep enough. So I’ve committed to focusing on sleep and eating foods that make me happy and nourish me. What healthy habits can you focus on during the autumn? Just a tiny habit that can tremendously impact the rest of your life? Sleep, nutrition, exercise, drinking more water, meditation, journaling, calling a friend, hiring a coach…It can really be anything that makes you feel amazing about yourself. Sleep on it and feel into what’s the right thing just for you. Asking someone else and focusing on their goals is not an aligned decision. Make sure you ask your own body for what it needs to serve you at its best.

Create boundaries for tech
We all know how addictive tech devices can be. They drain us of energy and make us waste a lot of time. On your journey to living a simpler life, this certainly is a topic needing attention. What can you do to change your tech habits?

Here are a few tips:
– Create boundaries for how much you consume news or social media daily. You can simply turn on the limitations already installed on your phone.
– Create boundaries for when you use your tech devices and stick to these timings
– Consider making all meals tech-free. This way, we act as the best role models for ourselves and our kids.
Notice and track how the different tech platforms, news or social media make you feel. If they drain you of energy and all you get is more stress, it’s maybe time for a reset. The first step is to become aware of it and then take appropriate action towards less.

Lastly, do things and meet with people who uplift you, energise you and make you feel seen. This is what nourishes our body, mind and soul.
Be your authentic you. Be more by doing less.

Read More
Lifestyle, Mental wellbeing, Social Media
Social media detox: creating mental space
- 14/09/2021
- 0 comments
- by Helena Zachariassen
You matter. I matter. People matter.
I took some social media detox this summer. It wasn’t really intended, it just happened and to be honest, it was needed too. It was for the best of reasons. Real life meetings. We went home to Finland for a full month and celebrated life. Meeting, (re)connecting, laughing, crying, sharing meals, saunas and sunsets, drinking way too much bubbly and catching up on all things crazy human and beyond. At first I felt a rush of guilt shower over me for leaving my business account unattended until one day when I couldn’t feel anything but calm. I had silenced the constant chatter and created space in my mind and my heart for what matters most.
The usage of technology and social media is a huge benefit as well as an enormous challenge for our society as a whole. I really enjoy being creative on Instagram, connecting with people and inspiring others and being inspired in return, but at the same time it’s a love-hate relationship too. I hope this short guide below inspires you to declutter, setting limits and boundaries for your own health and wellbeing in times of constant digital availability.
Happiness is to have near and dear ones
to share your life’s ups and downs with.
Real people in real life
who see, hear and love you for who you are.
A screen can never hug you anyway.
HELENA ZACHARIASSEN
#1 Setting limits and boundaries for your own wellbeing
If we want technology to be helpful instead of painful, we need to set clear boundaries. Both for ourselves and our kids. Lead by example and show your offspring that you’re making real life connections a priority, every day. Use screen time limiting apps or any other solutions that you feel comfortable with.
Which areas of your life and home should be off limits for any tech devices? In my family it’s the dinner table and all bedrooms. An old fashioned alarm clock works just fine for waking you up anyway. Instead of checking emails first thing in the morning, give yourself permission to spend that first special golden hour without any devices and you’ll notice how gratefully your mood and body react to the calm start of the day.
Another healthy option is to set up a joint charging station and a shut off time for screens every night at a certain time to give way for more in-person connectivity time. At least my kids start talking like crazy when they’re tucked in and about to fall asleep, no external stimuli disturbing their deepest thoughts and feelings.

#2 Declutter: deactivate, delete and downshift
When was the last time you did a digital clear out? If it’s been a while the following check list might be worth looking through. And remember, digital and social media decluttering needs ongoing maintenance, like any household. By incorporating a few habits into your schedule you’ll be able to reduce your digital footprint and get an organised and easy to care for digital life.
Reflect on your ideal network. What kind of social media network do you want? What kind of connections make you feel your best? Keep only the good ones and those you really like.
Deactivate and delete any unused and forgotten accounts. Hint: search your email for any welcome emails to see if you’re subscribed to sites you don’t use anymore. You may also do a check for (compromised) passwords, these passwords might be very old, and often belong to unused sites and platforms.
Delete any followers/profiles who look like scam or are uninteresting to you. Check them out and delete relentlessly any suspicious ones.
Turn off social media notifications. The lack of beeping will instantly improve your concentration and quality of work and life.
Downshift your social media usage. For example: limit the amount of platforms you’re active on to max 2. No more social media after dinner and only 30 mins per day in total. Make sure you get a sparring partner to help you out and to hold you accountable for your choices.
#3 Be aware of the biggest time thieves and take action
Mindless scrolling doesn’t make anyone happy, it only triggers feeling of guilt. There are functions on your phone where you can check your usage as well as limit your usage for a certain app, give these a go so you know exactly which apps are the biggest thieves. If you already know, great!
Self discipline is your best friend when it comes to freeing up time from social media. Check and be aware of how much time you’ve “lost” in the past week, month, year and make a choice for an alternative activity and time limit plan.

#4 Log off social media completely for a few weeks
This is the ultimate detox tip for you who are ready to challenge yourself to make sustainable habitual changes and get out of the hamster wheel in one go. Letting it all go and trusting that everything you need will still be provided outside of social media. Let your friends know in advance and enjoy the freedom. The first days are the hardest, then it becomes easier day by day. Slowly you’ll reach a state of inner calm, where all the mental clutter has vanished.
#5 Use social media with intention and clarity
Reflect on your social media use. You don’t need to delete all social media apps in one go (unless you want to!) but be conscious and aware of what eats up your time every day. Ask yourself why you want to check social media? And if you had x hours more, what could you possibly spend those hours on instead? And why?
If you have your business on social media make a detailed and clear plan of how to use it, when and why. Having clear intentions of how social media should work for you, and not the other way around, contributes to a greater sense of contentment and happiness. And it spreads into any area of your life when you allow your intuition to speak freely to your intentions.
Welcome back to work and school – enjoy getting back to routines again!
If you’ve ever done a huge SO(CRU)CIAL MEDIA DETOX, please share your experience with us in the comments. What worked? What didn’t work? What was the result?
Read More
Home, Lifestyle, Mental wellbeing
From overwhelm to organised life mastery in 5 simple steps
- 04/04/2021
- 0 comments
- by Helena Zachariassen
Already at the beginning of this year I was exhausted, overwhelmed and I felt hugely frustrated that I couldn’t just get it all together. I felt like I worked so hard but it was never enough on any level and yet I was needed everywhere at the same time! Sound familiar? Having two young kids, a business to run, a busy husband, a household to manage incl. cooking lunches and dinners and turning into a taxi driver for the afternoon hobbies…not to forget the constant unrest the global pandemic was and still is adding to the game. No wonder I thought I was about to get burned out.
Well, struggle is part of growing. Accepting all feelings as they were and are, knowing I’m so much more than just those feelings of inadequacy slowly made everything ‘figureoutable’, as Marie Forleo so aptly calls her bestselling book and philosophy. It is a word that makes you realise nothing is impossible — it only takes some time, effort, and sometimes ingenuity, to get things done differently.

“I’m a lost case. I don’t know how to organise my stuff, let alone myself”
Nope. Let’s start with the GOOD NEWS. What if I told you it’s possible to clear the clutter and simplify your life, both on the inside as well as on the outside? Well, it is. Anyone can learn to be organised! Even as a KonMari Consultant & Life Coach I’m still figuring things out myself, so take my word for it. If I can do it, you can do it too.

The next step is all about mindset and intention. Initialising and internalising a mindset change that you have the ability to be organised and you have the tools to overcome any obstacle or overwhelm will make a huge difference. Knowledge and the ability to change is key. When you know what to do, you’ll be a master of your own life in no time. And if you feel or get stuck, I’m just a message away.
1. Spring clear your home and mind
What does it even mean to clear your home and mind? Think of it as a brain dump or download. Write down all the tasks that need to happen in your home and family on a daily and weekly basis. A rough example could look something like this:
Daily tasks
make beds
breakfast
kitchen quick clean up
load dishwasher
cooking
work/homework
quality time with kids/partner
logistics, ie. kids, pets
quick tidy up
etc.
Weekly tasks
prep for the week
meal plan
quality time with kids/partner
self care
admin
laundry
grocery shopping
cleaning
house/car/sports equipment maintenance
etc.
In other words, make a clear plan of what is needed in your home and life for your life to function well and for everyone living in that home to feel happy and balanced. It means to have a rough, clear plan of when things need to be taken care of, and by whom, so they don’t pile up and become a daunting task you just want to ignore forever.
2. Say no – design a simplified, minimal & joyful lifestyle
Let go of unnecessary mental clutter and start prioritising YOU by setting clear boundaries. Say no to everything that doesn’t bring you closer to your real and ideal life. I used to say yes to way more than was ever healthy or sane, always trying to help and please others. Keep your energy and precious time to yourself, and don’t let so called energy thieves drain you of what belongs to you.
And remember – say YES to everything you do want and need in order to feel good about yourself and your life! What you will gain is a life filled with peace, calm, gratitude, joy and time for the things that truly matter to you.
3. Simplify and organise your entrance
Our entrance is our business card to the world – and when it’s filled with visual clutter it drains our energy and increases our stress levels. It’s the first thing you (and any potential visitor) see each time you return home and each time you leave. It’s an important space that should make you feel welcome and relaxed every time. Make sure to only keep essential, frequently used items in the entrance area and that each family member has a designated drawer or area for his/her own things to keep everything manageable. And don’t forget the area around the front door – a tidy space and a seasonal flower or a wreath creates an instant mood booster.

A tidy, clutter free, organised entrance area makes daily life simple and effortless. It creates a beautiful, welcoming gateway to your most
intimate space – your home.

HELENA ZACHARIASSEN
4. Tidy kitchen tops & paper clutter
The less visual clutter and appliances is out on the kitchen counters, the easier it is to keep the kitchen clean, clear and tidy. Loading the dishwasher or washing the dishes immediately after a meal is equally key to a tidy kitchen.
What does paper have to do with kitchen organisation? Well, I’ve noticed that a lot of people have this undefined paper pile, usually on the kitchen counter. My best tip is to handle any physical mail immediately as it comes in. A lot of it can be recycled instantly. If there is something to action it can be moved to an admin folder to be dealt with weekly.
5. Tame the daily mess in just 10 minutes
After dinner, put on some relaxing music and engage your family to tidy up the day for 10 mins only. Anything that has been left out during the day; remote controls, toys, newspapers, home work, clothes… and return all of the items to their homes before heading to bed. It’s a game changer which will set the tone for the next day so you can all start fresh with a tidy mind in a tidy home.

This article was first published on the expat blog My Swiss Story, where I am part of the expert editorial panel as the Home and Lifestyle Expert. Would you like to contribute as a guest writer? Please contact me.
Read More