Simplify your life
30 Rules to Help you Simplify your Life
To simplify my life is something that I have been striving for lately. A life with less clutter in my mind, body, and surroundings. I find myself at peace and full of my most fulfilling happiness when I am simplifying my life. Living in calm moments and caring for myself.
As an overachiever, I keep myself pretty mentally stimulated and like it that way. Work, books, blogging, social media, emails. You know the drill.
I know a lot of people can relate. We all have our own busy schedules. This life can get a little crazy and run away from us sometimes, which leads to stress and feeling overwhelmed before we are even aware of it happening. Let’s be honest, this happens more than we would like to admit. However, there is a solution! A holy grail of possibility that will save us from ourselves. And it’s really quite simple.
We just need to simplify things a little bit!
The benefits of simplifying your life are huge. You will reduce stress, gain confidence, enjoy a healthier wellbeing and enjoy a deeper sense of gratitude for the simple beauty of your complex and unique life.
It is important now more than ever to take a little time to change our thoughts, habits, and lifestyle. To become better more full humans for ourselves, our loved ones and the world. Seriously, simplifying your life is the best way to amplify it, turn up the volume on what you love and reduce the white noise of what you don’t.
1. Make a list of the most important things in your life
Write down the top five most important things in your life in no particular order. Use this as a mindful reference. When life gets overwhelming or you feel stressed revert back to your list, mentally. “Is the thing that I am spending time and energy on one of my top 5?” This is a simple exercise that can do wonders for defusing your stress levels.
2. Make time for your mental health
Taking time to practice mental health by reading, yoga, meditation, therapy or simply chatting with a friend is a good way to stimulate your mind and boost your overall wellbeing.
3. Get a planner
Keeping track of appointments, deadlines, events, and occasions is a great way to prioritize your time. Causing less stress because of procrastination or forgetfulness. Don’t forget to schedule in time for yourself.
4. 10-minute de-clutter each day
De-Cluttering a little each day has helped me not only have to do less on the weekend when I do most of my cleaning. I enjoy my home all week long due to it being clear and clutter free.
5. No social media for an hour before bed or when you wake up
Give yourself time to gently enter or end your day without the onslaught of news, headlines, and ads.
6. One garbage bag of junk
A quick way to simplify things in your home is to commit yourself to donate or trashing one bag of stuff. See my blog post 89 Things to Remove from your Home & your Life for some inspiration. Check out my post on 89 Things to Remove from your Home & your Life to help get you into the downsizing spirit.
7. Ask for help
Maybe this means asking for a little extra help at work or getting help to clean your house, or putting your kids in daycare once a week. Don’t feel guilty getting a little help can help you simplify in so many helpful ways.
8. Give yourself a day
Make time for some self-care at least once a week. Check out my post 12 Winter Self Care Activities to help inspire you during these cold wintry months.
9. Clear your workspace when finished
Clear your workspace when you are finished so when you start your next project you are ready with a fresh clean slate.
10. Spend more time in Nature
There is no better way to simplify your life than to connect with something greater than you, which for me in nature. Whether it be a short walk in the park or a camping trip, being out in nature is a perfect way to reconnect with our primal natural selves.
11. Simplify with a morning routine
Being productive first thing in the morning can shape a beautiful day ahead. Check out my own Morning Routine for some direction in helping you create your own.
12. Properly unwind before bed
Read a book, meditate, turn down the lights, don’t use your phone, have a cup of tea. A good nights sleep is the most effective way to rejuvenate yourself.
13. Read motivating material
Whether it is through blogs, news articles or books. Consuming motivational and positive material is a great way to keep you grounded and connected to simplicity.
14. A little physical activity each day
If you find your workout routine too daunting and stressful, simplify it a little bit by taking a walk around the block or doing a 5-minute stretch instead. Either way make it a priority to get moving a little each and every day.
15. Meditate
Buddhist’s have known this for thousands of years and now the scientific world is backing it up. Try incorporating just ten minutes of mindful breathing into your day and slowly establish a deeper connection to your truest self and your thoughts.
16. Do your least favorite tasks first
At work, with chores, at the gym. Get the most daunting tasks out of the way first and then it will occupy no space in your mind while you are doing the activities you want to be doing.
17. Watch less TV
Try spending that extra time on something more productive or a new healthy habit or a fun hobby.
18. Make a budget & pay off debt
Debt complicates life in so many ways. Developing a plan and budget may seem like work but in reality, it will save you time, stress and funds in the future. Ridding yourself of debt is one of the most effective ways to simplify your life.
19. Downsize or reduce
When you have less material things you have less you need to worry about replacing or spending money on. Downsizing is a wonderful way to simplify your life and reducing can help you cut stress and worry.
20. Say no more often
This could mean saying no to a social engagement, to a project at work, to baking cookies for a potluck. Say no every once and a while you can’t do everything.
21. Eliminate toxic people from your life
If you have someone in your life who does not add to it in a positive way you need to eliminate them and their drama. Life is too short to deal with toxic people indefinitely.
22. Take a Timeout
When in the middle of a stressful situation of any kind take a time out if possible. Whether it be an argument, an assignment or a decision. If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed then switch to a completely different task and take a break. Return to the task with a clearer head and new perspective.
23. Make home your sanctuary
Take practical coziness into account when decorating your home. Being in style is important, however, having a place you can return to and at the end of a long hard day in order to properly unwind and relax is also important. This may simply mean a fuzzy blanket and warmer lighting. Or it could mean a paint job or new photos on the wall. Whatever you decide, just be sure to make the changes you need to make your home sweet home calm and relaxing. Check out my Hygge checklist to help get you inspired!
24. Gather consistently with smaller groups
Having a small close group of friends and family that you are close with is such an important part of our wellbeing and happiness. Simplify things a bit by gathering for lunch, playing games or watching a movie with your close and intimate friends more often, rather than making all social engagements large get-togethers, parties, and events.
25. Pick up a hobby
Crafting, baking, blogging or reading. Research shows that engaging in our hobbies makes us happier and can possibly help us live a little longer. Find what inspires you and invest a little time into it. It’s your life after all.
26. Always value your time and others
Valuing your time means spending it with the most important people, and doing the things that you love. Simply put if you don’t value your own time how will anyone else?
27. Reduce how much news you consume
Check in on the happenings of the world no more than once daily. This could mean changing your Facebook feed, reducing tv time or steering topics of conversation with your friends and family away from current politics from time to time.
28. Reduce hypotheticals
Dealing with facts in stressful moments will help reduce anxiety, anger and even resentments towards people. If you want answers to something try to gather the facts don’t assume on hypotheticals.
29. Drive slower or leave earlier
If you are the type of person who is always late then you may be familiar with the stress-induced time spent in your car trying to get to meetings, work or events. Leaving 5 minutes earlier will help you to drive more slowly and take your time. That way if there are delays you have a little wiggle room.
30. Don’t invest in your expectations
Stress and disappointment is a direct result of having expectations that did not work out. Whether it be the raise you were hoping for, assuming your partner took out the trash or expecting to lose 10 pounds in one week. goals and expectations are different beasts. Hope for a result, communicate your want for the result and work towards the result but don’t expect it to always work out that way.
Source: 30 rules to help simplify life by Steph
Note: See the original blog for other posts mentioned herein.
