Spring Cleaning our Mindsets, Schedules, and Routines

I’m back on the topic of spring cleaning this week, but it’s a little different from last week’s article. I made it clear last week that the classic form of spring cleaning—where you spend several days deep cleaning your home—is something I just won’t do.

However, I will use a change in seasons to sort out my priorities, thinking, and how I spend my time. As someone who is constantly seeking to do better in life, I check in with myself regularly to gauge how I’m doing on various fronts.

And, this constantly checking in to make sure that I’m continuing to learn and challenge myself is the reason why I’m reading so many books. This past month’s book, which I’ll review below, is “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success- How we can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential,” by Carol Dweck (#Ad)

I had always thought I was a pretty open-minded person who believed that I and others can change. But, After reading Mindset, I learned that I still have work to do to really attain the kind of attitude and thought processes that open me up to seeing the true potential in myself and others.

In this article, I will discuss the principles and takeaways from the book, Mindset. I will then go on to cover how we can use the change in seasons to reevaluate and “clean out” our own mindsets, along with our schedules and routines.

Principles from Carol Dweck’s “Mindset”

Carol Dweck is not a lifestyle or self-help guru. She is a Ph.D. psychologist who has spent most of her career studying people’s beliefs and thinking patterns. What she determined is that people tend to fall into one of two types of mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset.

The Differences Between a Fixed and Growth Mindset

Fixed Mindset. Folks who think this way tend to believe that their abilities, and those of others, are fixed. In other words, they believe that we are all born with unchangeable talents, intellectual capacities, and physical abilities. By having this mindset, they tend to define themselves and others in finite terms- “I am smart,” “I am no good at math,” or “1^st graders cannot read chapter books.” Although this type of mindset provides clear parameters within which people can comfortably exist, Dweck notes that those with a fixed mindset end up limiting themselves and underestimating their potential more than their growth-minded counterparts. More troubling, those with a fixed mindset in positions of leadership or power may end up limiting or downplaying the potential of others in order to keep themselves in the position they believe they are meant to hold.

Growth Mindset. People with a growth mindset believe that talents and abilities can be developed through learning and practice. They do not limit themselves by pigeon-holing themselves in certain defined positions. Instead, they see life as a series of challenges that can be overcome by learning, trying new strategies, and seeking the assistance of others. The author makes it clear that those with a growth mindset are more likely to continue seeking solutions when presented with problems and they are less likely to be set back, let alone define themselves, by their failures. When growth-minded people assume positions of leadership or power, they encourage others by teaching, providing a nurturing environment, and persistently encouraging others to rise to the challenge.

Main Takeaways from “Mindset”

This book is so comprehensive and there are so many things I learned by reading it. But, here are the main principles that I appreciated the most.

Near the start of this book, the author makes clear that having a particular mindset does not guarantee success. She recognizes that a person’s limitations, such as being part of a racially oppressed group, growing up in poverty, or suffering from a disability, will certainly play a role in how far they will go in our society. This is important as many “positivity” books leave this out, and it is a crucial issue we must all acknowledge if we are to do the work needed to ensure changes that dismantle systems that keep groups of people from succeeding.

The book not only addresses personal mindset and individual success, but it encourages the reader to see the role of mindset in business, government, relationships, parenting, teaching, and coaching. If we see how a mindset can be used to encourage someone to thrive in a nurturing environment rather than squelching them in a judgmental environment, it can help to turn around some of the patterns that hold some people back.

I found this particularly helpful for how we encourage our kids. The author cautions against praising children for their qualities as opposed to their efforts. Instead, she provides advice for how to respond to kids who tend to excel in certain areas and how to foster their interest in learning over the outcome of just getting good grades. Her advice is similar for business leaders, teachers, and coaches.

For the individual, Dweck devotes a section near the end of the book to changing mindsets. The “journey” she outlines provides challenges the way we think about ourselves and others, and it begins with acknowledging the fixed mindset beliefs we hold on to (and we each have some, no matter how growth-minded we think we are).

I definitely recommend this book for anyone wishing to adopt a more open and positive mindset. The book is particularly helpful for those who may be defining themselves by what they believe are their unchangeable characteristics. As for those who work with or have children, I can only say I wish I had read this book when my kids were younger.

Spring Cleaning our Mindsets

During this “spring cleaning” reassessment, I suggest taking a page from Dr. Dweck and determining how we see our own potential for change and growth.

Questions to Help Gauge Your General Mindset

The “Mindset” books has sections devoted to determining whether you have a growth or fixed mindset and suggestions to move in a more growth-minded direction. Below are some questions that can help get you started:

1. Do I define myself as having naturally limited qualities (intelligence, physical ability, etc.)? If so, do I believe that I am capable of changing some of those qualities?
2. What are my personal assets and positive qualities?
3. What can I read or learn to help me change my mindset? (Books on how the brain works, bodies age, or relationships change can help).
4. What positive changes can I make to help me grow, learn, and help others around me to do the same?

The goal is to seek out challenges that lead us to find satisfaction in the activity and the attempt to try something new or gain mastery.

Areas to Check Your Mindset

According to Dweck, we can have different mindsets for different aspects of our lives. So, for example, as a petite woman who has never enjoyed sports, I tend to have a fixed mindset about my athletic abilities.

Here are some areas that we can check to see whether we have a growth or fixed mindset. And, if we are honest with ourselves and see that we have a fixed mindset, we can see if there is room to adopt a growth mindset:

• Faith. Do we believe in a deity or power who is loving and able to help us? Most religions and spiritual groups believe that the key to finding joy and contentment is having faith in something greater than ourselves. This makes faith a key area to employ a growth mindset- one where we don’t see ourselves as a victim of the universe, but instead where we recognize that life is filled with ups and downs, and that things do tend to work out if we don’t spend our lives obsessing about how to avoid pain or discomfort.
• Work and Career. I know I’ve often had a fixed mindset about my job as a lawyer. If I compare myself to others who write more eloquently or speak more easily than I do, I can end up discouraged and unwilling to push myself to do better. A growth mindset in any job can encourage us to practice what we do with the purpose of improving ourselves and seek out training to gain new skills.
• Relationships. Dweck spends a chapter on relationships and addresses everything from partner compatibility to friendships to the dynamics of bullies and victims. Having a fixed mindset means that when someone you have any type of relationship with does something hurtful, you will be tempted to define them by their actions rather than approaching them to work on the problem. A fixed mindset may also lead someone to compare themselves with others they know and engage in a series of competitions that will satisfy their need to prove their superiority or destroy their confidence altogether should they fail. Reevaluating your mindset will help you foster more healthy and positive relationships.
• Physical Fitness and Health. This is an area where, when I’ve used a growth mindset, I have seen amazing changes. While there are certain limitations we cannot overcome (our height, an illness, or a disability), we can apply a growth mindset to achieve a healthier lifestyle. When I was suffering from severe plantar fasciitis, I did not give up trying to find ways to alleviate my pain. I was open to most suggestions, and tried a lot of different exercises and treatments until I found a combination that worked. We need to be honest with ourselves in this area and make an effort to understand what are our true limits versus those things we can change through diet, movement, and self-care.
• Parenting. As I noted above, a fixed mindset can have a limiting effect on our kids. It’s the reason why kids who are told they are “smart” during elementary school often end up as middle schoolers who don’t want to study when the material is suddenly too challenging to master easily. A fixed mindset can all but discourage kids from trying at all if they are classified as lazy or dumb. The book has several examples of teachers and programs that employed the growth mindset with the result of all students showing improvement, regardless of past performance.
• Social Justice/Community-Mindedness. This is not an area people talk about much when it comes to discussing potential for success or personal growth. However, how we impact our communities is a question we all are responsible for answering. In this context, we can ask “How do I view myself in society- am I an ally or advocate for those in my community who are not being heard or seen?” “What work am I doing to understand the situations of others and the impact I can do to better those situations?” Applying a growth mindset in this context means that we see ourselves as an important part of a living body- our neighborhood, city, country. What can we learn and do to be part of a healthier whole?

Spring Cleaning Our Schedules

Just like cleaning out the medicine cabinet of expired medications, a couple of times a year, we need to determine what things are taking up space on our schedules that need to be decluttered. If not, we run the risk of filling up our time with things that are simply not serving us well when we could be doing things that are more enjoyable or beneficial.

To spring clean your schedule, honestly answer the following questions and see if you can declutter some of your obligations:

1. What have I obligated myself to do every day, week, and month? List out all of the things you do outside of your home and work.
2. What is working for me? Of the things you listed see if they are enjoyable, satisfying, or meaningful to you. If they are, by all means keep them on your schedule.
3. What is not working? Does anything feel like a drag? Are there things you’ve signed up to do that feel like a poor use of your time? Or is something that you’ve done for a long time and have lost the spark of interest to do well? Is it time to give someone else a chance at doing this task or holding this position?
4. What can you let go? Based on all the questions you’ve answered above- what can you say no to? Obviously, there are some things you don’t enjoy that you may not be able to stop doing- work, dealing with a family issue, etc. However, of the things that you are not truly obligated to do, are there any you can give up? Be honest with yourself about this, and don’t take on a martyred attitude or act as though you are the only person capable of doing this type of task. There are often plenty of folks who will step up and take over a task once the person who has been doing it forever decides to let it go.
5. If you were able to let go of something of things you are doing, are there other things you would rather do instead? Sometimes, recognizing that our time is limited reminds us that we need to choose wisely how to fill it. If you think of things you would rather be doing, instead of spending your time on things that aren’t making you happy, that can help provide the motivation to weed out those obligations from your schedule that no longer serve you.

Spring Cleaning Routines

Just like the things we’ve placed on our schedules, our daily routines can also use some sprucing up once the season changes. This is not just because the season change is a good time marker to remind us to review routines, but when seasons change so too do our opportunities to do different things.

In order to freshen up your routine, ask the following questions and see what you might be able to remove (or add) to this next season’s routines:

1. Is my morning routine working for me? Does it help me get my day off to a good start or do I find myself running late because I’ve put too many tasks on the list?
2. Is my evening routine working for me? Does it help me to wind down and prepare for the next day? Or, am I staying up late to fit things in that are not helping me get rest?
3. How are my work, home, or other routines working? Are they making me more effective or just more frazzled?
4. Has a time change, the weather, or the amount of daylight available affected my routines? Should I work out at a different time? Is this affecting my pets in some way that requires a change?
5. Can I start spending more time outdoors? Is that something I wish to add to my routine?
6. Will my or my family’s schedules be changing because of breaks from schools or seasonal work changes? If so, can I take advantage of open pockets of time to do things that bring me joy or meaning?

This is a great time of year to be thinking about how to change our mindsets, schedules, and routines for the better. Are you making any changes to your schedule? What are your thoughts about the fixed versus the growth mindset? Leave a comment below!

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