Simplifying Your Life

When you are stressed out and you can’t seem to find a moment of peace for yourself, you probably need to simplify your life. We often take on much more than we are capable of doing (or at least I do anyway – can you relate?) I am a multi-tasker and the “go-to” gal to get things done, but you know what?  Sometimes I need to take it down a notch and just say no…and guess what?  It’s okay to do that sometimes! I find that when I do that, my stress levels come down and it makes my life much more manageable and enjoyable.

Many times we think everything is of equal importance in our lives, but there are some great ways to evaluate what really matters so we can gain a new perspective on life.

6 Simple Ways to Simplify Your Life

1.    Determine what is important. Make a list of all activities you have going on in your life right now.  I often recommend that you keep a log of your life for a week.  Track what you do personally and professionally.  Don’t make this another thing to do and keep track of, but simply get yourself a little notebook that you can throw in your bag or purse and jot quick notes.

I made this suggestion at a seminar once and a lovely lady shared with us that she did this once for herself and also for her husband.  When she presented him with her findings, she actually got him to start helping her with the laundry when he saw how much she did!

What does your list look like? Determine your top four or five areas and put your energy into those on a day-to-day basis (i.e., family, relationships, spirituality, work or whatever that looks like for you).

Once you do this exercise, it’s a whole lot easier to see where you’re spending most of your time (and where you should be spending more time).  It’s helps to cut out a lot of the unnecessary “clutter” in our daily lives.

2.    Reconsider your commitments. Many times we simply over-commit ourselves.  You should look at the “extras” in your life and see how they align with the things that are most important to you.  If there are things that you are committed to doing that you don’t enjoy or don’t add meaning to your life, consider giving them up.  You can reduce stress and make your life more relaxed when you release yourself from commitments that are only tying you down.

3.    Say no. Okay, so this one may make you a little uncomfortable, right? I think learning to say no is like “developing a muscle,”  it’s certainly not something that happens overnight.  I know it has become a learned behavior for me over time and experience and I’m okay with it.  Saying no to kids, family, friends, and even the boss is important.  I know it can be tough to say no, but you can say it with grace or by delegating the request to another capable person – share the wealth, right?! If you’re finding it difficult to stay firm, remember that you are not superman or superwoman. You can’t possibly take on the world by yourself!

4.    Simplify your work. Every day when you’re at work (or at home) you likely have a 10-page to-do list. In reality, there are things that just aren’t all that important and aren’t worth the effort.  There will always be some things that you’ll never get around to, but that’s okay! Accept that fact and re-evaluate your activities to determine what is really essential and do away with the rest.  Imagine how freed you’ll feel?

5.    Involve the family. There is as much to do at home as there is at work.  Make your family your team and involve them in the home activities.  Get everyone involved in the little tasks around the home such as taking out the trash, dusting, and doing the dishes.  For example, you can require that each family member pick up their own things around the house before bed.  This way, “tidying up” is a lot easier and not just left to one person. You can then spend more of your time relaxing instead of worrying about every little task around the home.

6.    Clear the clutter. Clutter can be quite a beast, right? Well, I’m sure that in your home and/or office there are probably a lot of things that are cluttering your space.  Everything must have its place – even if it’s in the trash!  When you clear the clutter from your space, you’ll find that cleaning, finding things and simply going about your daily life is a lot simpler and a whole lot less stressful.

As you can see, simplifying your life does not have to be difficult.  You just need to get back to basics and do away with everything else.  Living a simple life is living a happier, less stressed life and that’s something that we can all aspire to do.

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