SOMETIMES we need a spur to make changes in our lives, positive changes that will help ease the daily burdens we often have to deal with.

Personally, I need to occasionally spring-clean, not an easy thing to do as I tend to be something of a hoarder, but I find that I work better in a space that is free from clutter. My work colleagues often remark on how clean my office is (hasn’t always been the case!), but that is the kind of environment in which I can be more efficient.

Here are a number of suggestions for ways in which you might be able to improve your environment, practically and emotionally, and make the summer a happy and productive time. Some of the suggestions are also ways in which you can help yourself.

1) Start a new hobby or take up a class in something you like. This will help to develop a sense of purpose, and make you focus on something new. It will also allow you to bring a sense of creativity into your life.

2) This is not one for everyone, but keeping a journal or diary can be very cathartic. I am a diary man; I like to see everything I do or need to know about written down in front of me. Doing so on my mobile just isn’t for me,

3) Spring-clean your wardrobe and recycle clothes, shoes and bags that you have not worn for a year. Charity shops will welcome you with open arms. Do this also with other items that are filling much-needed spaces.

4) Offer your services as a volunteer to a charity. This will take you out of yourself, giving you a purpose, and take you away from your daily thoughts and stresses, and even open you up to new opportunities.

5) I am guilty of this one, but people-pleasing can be stressful, and sometimes you need to say no. Only take on tasks or invitations that you can comfortably accommodate in your life.

6) If you are a technologically savvy person, and even if you are not, do a spring-clean of your social media accounts. Stop following accounts that annoy you or make you envious, and try to restrict yourself to those you feel a connection with.

7) Practice self-compassion and kindness rather than self-love. This means accepting yourself as you are, flaws and all. This can lead to better relationships, and more compassion and emotional availability for others.

8) Adapt the time management creed of the four Ds – doing, deferring, delegating and deleting. Make lists, get small tasks done quickly, delay anything that is not urgent, hand over to others if you can, and strike out things that don’t need to be done at all.

9) We need to eat healthily, and cooking during the week can be time-consuming and stressful. If you have a little time at the weekend, try to make large portions of soups, casseroles and pies that you can freeze, and use during the week.

10) Stop procrastinating. Identify your behaviours that cause you to put things on the long finger, or distract you from the task in hand. You may need to work on this every day, but it will free up time for you to spend with loves ones.

11) Following on from the last item, perhaps consider a thought diary. It you have developed habits over time that don’t serve you well, note them down. Then work to avoid the situations that cause you stress or unhappiness, and change them.

12) It is easy to be overwhelmed with negative thoughts. You need to focus on what you can control. If you are facing a challenge, draw three columns on a sheet of paper. The first should contain the things you can control, the second the things you can influence, and the third the areas out of your hands. Now, concentrate only on the items in the first column.

13) Get an alarm clock. The need for sleep cannot be emphasised enough, and you should leave your mobile charging in another room.

14) We are actually programmed towards negative thinking, and evidence suggests we need five positive thoughts to balance one negative thought. When you wake up, and before you go to sleep, think of five things you are grateful for. They can be simple things. Learn to be grateful.

15) You must let go of things that upset or hurt you. Holding on to these negativities is only causing you stress. If you become familiar with your own baggage, and the things that trigger these feelings of hurt and upset, the less power they will have over you.

16) Make a decluttering plan. Mess can affect your mood, so make a plan to tackle areas that cause you annoyance. Imagine what it will look like when you have tackled the problem area, and then decide what is for recycling, disposing of, selling and donating.

17) Making lists has the advantage of allowing you to ‘see’ both the problem and the solution. If you are struggling, make a list of the issues causing this anxiety. Now rate them from one to 10. Then tackle them in order of importance.

18) Recognise your success, because we often overlook this in the world we live in, going, as it does, at a fast pace. Make a list of your achievements – it will boost your confidence, and even help to make plans for the future.

19) Two more lists to go. Do an energy audit. What is that? Identify the things that are affecting your life, negatively and positively. Two headings on a sheet of paper, or a small notebook that you keep with you at all times. One is titled ‘drainers’ and another is ‘energisers. Under each list the people, mindsets, habits and environments that drain or energise you. It can be very revealing.

20) Finally, and most importantly, have a go-to list of people you can approach for any situation in which you are feeling overwhelmed. This will include friends and family who are good for practical advice, and listeners who will give you space to talk about your feelings.