How to Declutter Your Brain and Take Back Control

Leadership | Health| Personal Growth| Marriage

June 23, 2025•5 min read

Hey Rockstar!
Your brain is a powerhouse—but it can also be a crowded freeway of thoughts.

Did you know your mind processes 30,000 to 60,000 thoughts a day? That’s a wild amount of mental traffic. Thoughts about kids, relationships, business decisions, deadlines, phone alerts—and don’t forget the media, movies, news, podcasts, and ads.

It’s easy to feel like you're stuck in a mental traffic jam—circling the same stress, fatigue, frustration, and burnout. You might find yourself snapping at loved ones, feeling physically worn out, or simply unable to move forward.

Sound familiar? You're not alone.

Why Mental Declutter Matters More Than Ever

We live in a constant state of distraction:

Endless social media scroll
Triggering news headlines
Ads competing for your attention
Even streaming shows overloading your emotional bandwidth

All these outflows get stored in your brain—and shape how you show up in life:

The way you speak to yourself
Your emotional availability
Your ability to be fully present with your family, clients, and calling

The truth? All this mental clutter steals your energy, focus, and impact.

The First Step: Hit Pause and Disconnect

You can’t recalibrate on a conveyor belt of noise. If you want to hear your own thoughts, you’ve got to step away from the chaos.

This is called an “information detox”—deliberately slowing down, unplugging, and giving yourself space to reset.

Here’s what a thought detox gives you:

Clarity—mental space to see your best next steps
Emotional resonance—proof that God (and you) are still in control
Confidence—decisions made from calm, not reactive triggers

It’s not a luxury. It’s strategic self-leadership.

Meet the Real-World problem

One client, Mary, came to me overwhelmed—not by burnout—but by emotional noise. She was a high-performing coach, yet restless.

Morning routine? Skipped. Work? Distracted. Family time? Frayed.

She was unintentionally pouring negativity everywhere—through exhaustion, through impatience, through never-ending indecision.

After stepping back to unplug, we reclaimed her morning routine. Suddenly, priorities were obvious again. Choices felt clear. She became purposeful—and powerfully present.

5 Tools to Declutter Your Brain Daily

Let me give you five no-fluff, practical actions you can use anytime, anywhere to detox your mind and reconnect with purpose:

1️⃣ Digital Fast: Phone Detox for Clarity

Set one hour a day (morning or evening) as phone-free time.
No scroll. No notifications.
Use this time to pray, meditate, write, reconnect, or just experience quiet.

Over time, you'll find yourself not reaching for the phone—and experiencing less stress from outside noise. That alone is worth its weight in gold.

2️⃣ Morning Mental Check-In

Before jumping into email or calendar, take five minutes to ask yourself:

What do I need most today?
What’s draining me and why?
What mission am I carrying forward?

Write it down. Center on it. It’s like vision for your soul. That small pause can shift your entire day.

3️⃣ One-Page Unload

Pick a time each day—preferably before bed—and spend five minutes brain-dumping everything on your mind:

Thoughts
Fears
To-dos
Plans
Anything sick, funny, or wild

Get it out of your head into writing. This mental offload frees your brain from cycling on overload.

4️⃣ Sabbath 15-Minute Reset

Declare a 15-minute weekly Sabbath from:

News
Politics
Social media
Work
Repetitive “need-to-do” running

Do something still:

Prayer
Read a Psalm
Take a walk
Enjoy silence

It’s spiritual, restful, and mentally powerful—a true reset for your thinking.

5️⃣ Mindful Moment Alerts

Set reminders throughout the day:

Mid-morning
Lunchtime
Mid-afternoon
Evening

When the reminder pings, stop. Take 3–5 deep breaths. Ask:

How am I feeling?
What just happened?
Am I centered—or reacting?

These mini-checkpoints help you stay present and avoid mental overload.

The Faith Factor: Invite God Into Your Declutter

Mental clarity isn’t just psychological—it’s spiritual.

Philippians 4:6–7 says:

“Don’t be anxious about anything... present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds.”

You can’t declutter your brain alone—you need God in the process.

Pray during your mind dump
Ask for renewal before your Sabbath reset
Invite the Holy Spirit into your pause moments

When your mental container is clear, you’ll see God’s whispers of purpose and direction more clearly.

Personal Story: My Declutter Journey

I used to be someone who only worked with words in my head—emails, calls, podcasts, and more. My evening routine was binging shows while scrolling, exhausting my soul.

But then I started a daily brain dump and unplugged screen time each evening.

Here’s what happened:

Nights were more restful
I slept deeper
My creativity skyrocketed
My influence with my team and kids increased

And yes—I added reading and journaling back into my life because I had mental bandwidth again.

Build Your Brain Declutter System

Want a practical roadmap? Use this template:

1. When will you do your phone fast? Morning or evening?
2. What’s your daily mental check-in question?
3. When will you do your one-page dump?
4. What 15-minute Sabbath will you protect?
5. What times will your mindful reminders go off?

Write them down. Post them. Let them guide your reset and refocus.

Why This Is a Non-Negotiable Tool

Decluttering your brain gives you:

Better Decisions – You think clearly, not reactively
Calmer Self – Stress doesn’t run your life
Greater Presence – For clients, family, and mission
Tighter Focus – On what matters most
Healthier Mindset – Physically, emotionally, spiritually

What to Do Next

Choose your tools – Pick two to start: perhaps the brain dump and a phone fast
Commit – Schedule them in your calendar for next week
Track results – Notice improvements in sleep, stress, clarity
Shift as needed – Maybe you need more Sabbath time or extra breath reminders