I Spent A Month Dedicated To Eliminating Irritations In My Life — Here’s What Happened

Have you ever had one of those moments where something that really shouldn’t be a big deal feels like the most irritating thing in the world?

In my experience, the thing that pushes me over the edge is usually pretty small — like realizing I’ve accidentally left my meal at home right before lunch, or finding a spot of blood on a new pair of underwear after I thought my period was over. Under the right circumstances, these seemingly trite annoyances have the power to ruin my day (or even my week!).

I haven’t always been the best at dealing with stress. I get overwhelmed easily and don’t always know how to best manage my anxiety. So when little things started to take me out of the present moment, I knew I had to make some changes and break up with the pesky irritations in my life once and for all.

In partnership with Carefree Breathe™, I pledged to shake the most annoying habits, products, and practices in my life for 30 days. It wasn’t the easiest road, but I learned a lot along the way. Here’s how I did it:

1. I Stopped Hitting Snooze

There’s something so satisfying about hitting the snooze button in the morning and pulling the covers back over my face. It’s amazing in the moment — but it almost always backfires. In the literal blink of an eye, I have less than 15 minutes to start my day. To eliminate rushed mornings, I vowed to break up with the snooze button for good.

I’ll be honest: It didn’t start off so well. During my first week, I still snoozed a few times. After a few fails, I started leaving my phone (aka my alarm) across the room while I slept. Not only did it stop me from checking my messages in the middle of the night, but getting out of bed to turn it off forced me to get up and ready for the day at first buzz.

2. I Quit Scrolling Through Social Media In Bed

One of my worst habits is scrolling through my phone before bed. The light from the screen messes with my ability to sleep, and way too often, I get sucked down a rabbit hole and end up staying up way later than I intended.

To sever ties with this bad habit, I started setting a ‘bedtime’ alarm on my phone. At 10 p.m., I’d place my phone on my desk across the room and activate the ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode, vowing not to touch it until the next day. I broke my phone curfew the first few nights — but after getting into a routine, I found that winding down with a good book was a much better way to end the day.

3. I Re-Evaluated My Feminine Care Products

When was the last time you took a good, hard look at your feminine products? After cleaning out my cosmetics drawer, I realized I had sanitary pads in stock that I hadn’t used in years. It seemed like every option I tried either felt too bulky or irritated my skin. I was always searching for something better — and I’m happy to report I finally found it.

I restocked my cabinets with Carefree Breathe™ Pads, a line of ultra-thin pads that go beyond leak protection to keep your skin dry and irritation-free. I’ve never used a pad that’s felt light enough to comfortably wear out on a run, but Carefree’s air-infused cover feels breezy and flexible without compromising protection. Free from fragrances, dyes, and harsh irritants, Carefree Breathe™ Pads are clinically tested by dermatologists and switching was an easy way to take one more step toward an irritation-free lifestyle.

And as for that spotting issue that's always threatening to ruin my new pairs of underwear? Carefree Breathe™'s liners have helped make that annoyance a thing of the past.

4. I Invested In Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Working from home has recently become the new normal for many, including myself. And while I’m enjoying my non-existent commute, I’ve also found that it can be harder to focus when working in the same spaces where I normally relax. To help eliminate distractions that come with working from home (like my boyfriend refusing to wear headphones during his conference calls), I invested in a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. They’re basically like blinders for focusing — plus, when they’re on, it sends a message to everyone in my house that I’m working and shouldn’t be disturbed.

5. I Finally Updated My Tech

If you’re anything like me, you probably get a pop-up notification every few days on the majority of your devices asking if you’re ready to update your operating systems. And again, if you’re anything like me, you likely just click ‘close’ and ignore them until they pop up again.

I set one evening aside to update all of my tech — including my phone, tablet, and laptop. While it took a couple hours for everything to complete, it was way better than realizing I would need a systems update in the middle of a work day. I also created a notification to remind me to update my tech products weekly so I won’t be plagued by pop-ups in the future.

6. I Unsubscribed From Dozens Of Mailing Lists

A crowded inbox can be super overwhelming, especially when you max out on storage in the middle of a big project. So, I started dedicating five minutes every morning to unsubscribing from as many email lists as possible.

I’m still not quite at inbox zero. But having a small, easy-to-accomplish task first thing in the morning became a productive way to start the day. Plus, my ‘unread emails’ count no longer makes my friends and coworkers gasp, which is relieving in its own way.

Now, a month later, there are still irritations in my life that I can't control. But every time I'm able to eliminate one thing that's been taking up space in my brain, I breathe a sign of relief and feel like I'm one step closer to becoming the best — and happiest — version of myself. Maybe next time I’ll conquer bigger irritations, but for now, I’m just enjoying my new, chilled-out lifestyle.

This article is sponsored by Carefree Breathe™.