The clutter in our lives is getting in the way. Look around. There is clutter everywhere. We are inundated with thousands of marketing messages each day, our work lives are filled with too many tasks to comprehend, we don’t have time to do what we want, we are being swamped.

The clutter is responsible for feeling overwhelmed, for causing worry and anxiety, for making us ill. By removing the clutter and simplifying our lives we can remove many of the negatives that hold us down.

Here are a few ways you can remove the clutter from your life and gain some clarity:

• Focus on the tasks at hand and do not concern yourself with anything else. Put the blinkers on and dedicate yourself to completing one thing before you move onto the next.
• Clean up your desk. Remove all the items and papers that have nothing to do with your immediate task.
• Clean up your computer desktop. If your desktop is cluttered you’ll become confused with where you’ve saved files and your computer will run slower too (it doesn’t like clutter either).
• Don’t try to please everyone. Know who your friends are. Know who isn’t that important in your life. Still be nice but don’t kill yourself to make everyone else happy except yourself.
• Visit Zen Habits
• Create a plan and stick to it (unless it really needs to be changed)
• Meditate for at least 5 minutes every day. You’ll start to work out what is really important to you.

If you are listening to advertisers and taking your nutritional advice from the TV then I’d suggest it’s highly likely that you are eating crap. Here is where a little uncommonsense is required. Think about it. If Kellogg’s tells you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that cereal is your best choice, do they have a vested interest in you believing them? Watch this video. Unbiased? I think not.

Of course breakfast is an important meal but you won’t die if you don’t eat it…you’ll just feel sub-par all day.

Here’s the startling truth. If you are fat, you are so because you eat crap and because you eat too much of it. Sure, there are some medical issues involved but don’t get all caught up in excuses if you are still eating Tim Tams and Corn Flakes and drinking Coke.

On the flip-side, if you’re thin it’s also because you’re eating crap or you’re eating well but hardly enough. The result is the same. Fat or thin, you are not optimal and you are paying the price for poor nutritional choices.

Here’s an idea! Stop look outside yourself and start looking in. I bet you’ll find that you can make some changes that immediately improve your health and shortly thereafter your physique.

Just so you know this isn’t a case of do as I say not as I do, here’s what I’m having for breakfast today: a 3 egg omelette with a little bit of melted cheese, a cup of decaf tea, an apple and some almonds.

Imagine for a moment that today was your last day on Earth…

Would you be wasting time reading my blog?

Would you bother arguing with your boss?

Would you be twittering?

Would you be watching TV?

What would you be doing?

And why aren’t you doing that right now?

Three words to change your life:

1. Goals
2. Intent
3. Action

I’m currently listening to Jack Welsh’s audiobook Winning. In it he explains a few of his ideas, philosophies and recommendations based on his experience as CEO of GE. A lot of what he says makes perfect sense and for that reason it appears here.

Jack is big on candor. Clear, honest and open communication at all times is one of his greatest recommendations. He talks about the necessity of candor in good times and bad, when you’re giving praise and criticism, whether you’re talking to a superior or subordinate. He is absolutely right.

Now, obviously we don’t want to go around belittling people. Nor do we want to go overboard with our delight in their abilities.

Too often we are concerned with the possibility of offending someone, hurting someones feelings or not allowing someone to save face. In such situations we don’t tell it like it is. And everyone suffers. You suffer because you haven’t said what you mean and they suffer because they don’t know what you are really getting at. This is not clear communication. The same is true when giving praise where it is unwarranted or over-the-top. It can only cause confusion.

Candor in communication does not allow for ambiguity. It does not allow room for confusion. Sure it may seem abrupt or a little harsh but at least everyone knows where they stand and no-one is likely to be surprised by the truth as they already know it.