Simplifying life can make life a lot easier…
…and a whole lot more satisfying.
What if I told you that there was a way to make your life better? But here’s the catch – you have to want to do it. Much like an addict needs to want to be healthy, someone who has a complicated life needs to want to simplify. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.
Stuff:
There are very few of us that don’t have a hundred things they don’t need in their home. “Stuff” helps us feel comfortable. Usually when a couple gets married, they ‘make a home’ – i.e., they buy stuff. And that’s ok. It’s when you start becoming a slave to your ‘stuff’, that is usually when problems start. The comfortable feeling of home can become a daily dread when ‘just right’ becomes ‘too much’.
Then there are times your life changes and what was working no longer helps. That means that system needs to be updated or changed completely. I noticed this in my own life – when I went from working in office to working remotely, I didn’t need all the work clothes anymore, and ended up getting rid most of my work wardrobe. I kept a couple outfits in case I needed to go into the office. The other time that our life changed was when we brought home our daughter. Life in general changed so how we organized and kept our home changed.
- Get rid of stuff
- If something is not working to help you – get rid of it or change it
- Downsize
- Clean off “tops” – table tops, counter tops, etc. (this will help a home feel cleaner)
- Reevaluate organization – maybe you have the room, but better organization would help
- Get rid of old stuff – medicines, cleaning products, clothes that don’t fit, kids toys, etc.)
- Get rid of broken or things that are missing pieces
- Reevaluate “what ifs” – what if I loose 10 lbs, have a baby, move, get into X. Sometimes this can be the hardest one, you have to be very honest with yourself.
- Try the – one in one out rule – something comes in, then something must go out
Life:
Sometimes it’s not the stuff in my life that is making complicated but what is going on in my life. When I am feeling overwhelmed one of the first thing I try – TRY – to do, is list the top 5 things that are bothering me just then. Sometimes just naming the issues helps me to be better able to handle them, which makes life simpler.
- Get rid of debt/live within your means
- Reevaluate needs (physical, mental, spiritual) when life changes occur
- Cut back on wants
- Take stuff off schedule (say ‘no’!)
- Clump appointments together
- Clean up pantry/freezer and make menus to make mealtime a little easier
Work:
Work has the ability to affect you as much as anything. Especially here in the states where we have prided ourselves on our work ethic for decades. It has been engrained into us that work is good, more work is better. But there again lies the problem. Working extra here and there is ok, but when you become your job sometimes you have to give up what truly matters in order to feed the “work” beast. The good thing is usually your body and life gives you signs that you are needing a change, you just have to acknowledge them.
- Clean up your space
- Clean out emails
- Say ‘No’ – too many projects can be overwhelming
- Take a day off – I am a huge fan of the occasional mental health day, they can be life savers!
- Reevaluate your work
What do you do to help simplify your life?
–Dawn
