9 Simple Ways to Simplify Your Life
Introduction
Who doesn’t want more free time, fewer commitments, and a less cluttered life? It’s a rhetorical question. While it seems complicated to achieve nowadays, it does not have to be a wish. You can simplify and reclaim your life. The real question is, how strong is your desire to do it?
9 Simple Ways to Simplify Your Life
As Mae West said: you only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. If your life is more complicated than it needs to be, you are more likely to waste it.
Here are the nine simple ways to simplify your life and make it more relevant to you:
Establish your core values.
Core values serve as your criteria for assessing people, events, or actions. They help drive your behavior and form your beliefs. You can determine what is justifiable depending on the potential impact of our decisions on your ideals. People do not always do so deliberately. Occasionally, you become mindful of others’ values when the decision or action they are contemplating has confusing repercussions for their valued ideals.
Ask yourself questions such as ‘what goals do I want to achieve?’ or ‘what makes me happy?’ to determine your core values. You can assess your most significant core values based on the responses.
Determine your priorities.
Do you know what’s important to you? What are your dreams and objectives? If you have your core values defined, determining your priorities becomes easier. When you understand your preferences, simplifying your life becomes more manageable, as you will know what counts and does not.
Establishing daily priorities is part of this too. Each evening, create a to-do list for the following day and adhere to it as much as possible. Life becomes more straightforward when you know precisely what you want to do daily.
Practice meditation.
Meditation is the process of training your mind to become aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment. It is a powerful tool for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. It is one of the best ways to learn to control your emotions and be more mindful. Meditation is a popular activity for many people, but finding the time to meditate can also be challenging. Try to meditate for five minutes every morning, then take a few-minute break before you start your day.
There are plenty of benefits of meditation, and clarity is one of them. Everything else is merely habit and background noise. The essential things, activities, and people in your life will become more evident.
Start with your own home.
Consider everything as you move from one room to the next. What can you discard, and what do you need that you do not have? What do you despise? If you don’t utilize, require, or adore something, strongly consider getting rid of it.
If you’re hesitant to eliminate something from your life, then ask yourself why.
Keep a journal.
Keep track of your activities throughout your workday and on one weekend day. Keep track of how you spend each hour. For instance, at 9:00 a.m., you could write: 8:00-9:00: 15 minutes spent responding to emails. Fifteen minutes spent exploring the web. Thirty minutes to work.
Carry out this exercise throughout the day and keep track of how you spend your time. You’re likely to identify a few things consuming your time but adding little value to your life. Take a relentless approach to eradicating these time-wasters.
Choose your commitments.
We all have a few commitments in our lives that we are passionate about. For some, it may be a family or a job commitment. But what is the point of being passionate about something if you don’t devote your time and energy to it? If you are not passionate about something, why should you be committed to it?
Life is full of nuances that can easily distract our attention. That includes regular social events, committees, organizations, and other endeavors. Contrast them with your list of priorities and objectives. If a commitment does not assist you in achieving your most essential goals, consider letting it go.
Establish routines.
Routines are nothing more than a collection of habits. It reduces the amount of thought required. Therefore, you can repurpose your intellectual resources for more important things.
Consider having a morning and evening routine for yourself, a yard work routine, an after-school routine for children, and an exercise routine. They will eventually save you time and energy. These days there are lots of apps that can help you with this.
Assess your relationships.
Are the individuals in your life who are not required to be there providing anything important? Are you still dragging an old high school acquaintance or two around with whom you no longer enjoy spending time? Eliminating individuals from your life is not always easy, but it may benefit you. It might help them as well.
Don’t be afraid to say no.
Revisiting your priorities and dreams before taking on new responsibilities is critical. It will boost your self-esteem and encourage you to simplify your life. Be prepared to decline any proposals that would unduly complicate your life. Be courageous and say “no” to a few people.
Yes! Sometimes it can be hard to say no to a request, especially from someone who is not just asking for themselves but also for someone else. It’s important to remember that saying no is not a personal attack on the person who asked but rather a way to protect yourself from feeling obligated to do something you don’t want to do. The most important thing to remember is that your time is valuable, and you have the right to say no.
Final Thoughts
Take note that you can gain more freedom by doing it. Once you complete the process, repeat it every few months. While the first round of benefits will be great, you can make your life even easier. Buddhist monks are permitted to have a little more than two robes, a spoon, a bowl, and sandals. How simple can you make your life?
