We all know that life is complicated. With so many responsibilities, it can be hard to keep up with everything we have going on. But what if I told you there are some things in life that are simple?
Simplicity is an approach and a mindset. It’s about knowing that there are lots of ways to accomplish a goal and choosing the most efficient way.
That does not mean you should always compromise on quality or outcome, it just means that you may be able to discover a more straightforward path to get something done.
How to Make Things Simple
When you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by the complexity of your life, take a step back and make things simpler. Here are 10 ways that you can simplify your life:
1. Stop Multitasking
These days, multitasking is so common that we hardly realize it’s happening. It’s easy for us to have the phone in one hand, the laptop open, and the TV running in the background. We may think that we are focusing on one thing, but our brains are actually being pulled in lots of different directions.
Many studies show that although we think we are getting more done overall, we are actually less productive when we try to do many things at once.
When you’re trying to focus, make sure that you don’t have anything distracting in your field of vision or within hearing range. Mental clarity is an important skill to cultivate, and it can be improved with simple steps. Place your phone in an area out of reach during this time.
It can help to designate times in the day for each of your tasks. You can focus on one task for a set period before switching to another area of work.
When you switch to a new task, feel free to take a break and check your phone, email, or social media channels. Just remember that you don’t want to constantly be taking these brief breaks. If possible, limit yourself to just one break between tasks.
By focusing on only one thing at a time, you will get the job done more quickly and be able to move on to other responsibilities.
2. Meditate or Deeply Breathe
One way to relieve the stress and tension of a complicated life is with meditation. When we are feeling overwhelmed, it can be helpful to focus for a few minutes and breathe deeply.
Close your eyes and focus on taking deep breaths through your nose and exhaling slowly through your mouth. Breathe from your diaphragm as if you were breathing right into your stomach.
You can also try focusing on one specific area of the body that you would like to relax, such as your toes or your fingers. Visualize each part relaxing and feel what it’s like when this happens.
If meditating by yourself is not for you, consider joining a group practice session where someone else will guide you through the process.
Meditation may seem like a silly thing to try when your life is complicated, but it can help calm your mind and relieve stress. It’s also great for improving focus, which will allow you to get more done in less time each day.
3. Use a Planner
Many of us are trying to simplify our lives by reducing the number of things we do. However, there are other ways to make our lives more efficient, even if we can’t take any tasks off of our to-do list.
The best way to get the same amount of work done in less time is by organizing your days. Many people use a planner to organize their daily activities and goals into specific blocks of time.
This does not mean that you have to stick to your schedule 100% each day, but it will help you prioritize what needs to be done in order for everything else on your list can fall neatly into place behind the most important items.
When you plan your actions in advance using a planner, you can start to group together similar tasks or errands. This will help you cut down on time wasted traveling from one location to another or switching your mind from one task to another.
When you’re starting out with a planner, avoid the temptation of over-scheduling yourself and filling up all your available time slots. It’s okay if some days are left blank or have very little scheduled during them. If you have space between your work and personal tasks, it’s a good sign that you’re simplifying your life. You might consider buying a premade bullet journal if you find the thought of using a journal overwhelming. There are many great premade journals and planners out there, so choose the one that’s the best fit for you.
4. Simplify Your Meals
Take some time and think about how you can readjust your eating habits so that they are simpler. There are many ways you can make adjustments in this area of your life. There are so many ways to nourish your body and mind, so choose the habits that suit you.
Preparing your meals in advance is a good way to minimize the effort needed to prepare your food throughout the week. For example, if you like baking, consider preparing a large batch of muffins in one day and freezing them for future use.
You can also simplify things by having some go-to meals that don’t require much preparation time or ingredients. This may mean eating more sandwiches or salads than usual, but it’s still a change for the better. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables that don’t require prep can make this shift healthier.
Another option is to plan out your meals ahead of time. Many people find this helpful because it will help you write a grocery list and ensure that you have all the ingredients needed before starting each meal.
Make sure to avoid complicated recipes or ones that require too many steps, as these can become overwhelming when there’s a lot going on in your life.
You don’t need to say no to them entirely, just save these recipes for special occasions. It will be easier to keep up with simpler recipes on a daily basis and you will be able to get through your cooking tasks in less time.
5. Automate Everything
Automation can be a great way to simplify your life and reduce the stress that comes with trying to accomplish too much at once.
If you have a smart home, one of the best ways to automate things is by setting up voice control for all your devices. This will allow you to operate everything in your house without needing any other tools besides what’s already built into each device or appliance.
You can also automate your daily tasks online by using apps or extensions to help you save time. Some examples of tools you can use include:
IFTTT: This allows you to automate your tasks on social media and other websites by setting up “recipes.” You create the recipes using the IFTTT app and then connect them to your account. For example, you can use this tool to automatically delete all of your social media posts after a certain amount of time has passed or only save photos that are tagged with specific tags on Instagram.
Google Keep: This is an extension within Gmail that allows users to create checklists of their tasks and save them for later. This can be helpful if you need a quick reminder on what to do next or want to make sure that nothing falls through the cracks while you’re working on other things.
Pomodoro: Another way to get more done is by using an app like Pomodoro, which tracks your time and helps you see how much work you are getting done. You can set up the app with different tasks and it will time your segments until they are complete, helping to keep things organized for when it’s time to start working on something else.
6. Set Boundaries
Finally, you should consider setting boundaries when it comes to what tasks and responsibilities are important enough for you to take on.
Oftentimes we try to be “yes” people because we don’t want others feeling bad or think that they won’t like us if we say no. However, this is a good time for you to question whether or not you are taking on too much.
If something is crowding your schedule and becoming a source of daily stress, maybe it’s time to say no to this task next time someone asks for help. You can also try delegating these tasks if possible or ask friends and family members for help when needed.
7. Declutter Your Home & Workspace
A home or office space that is cluttered can make things stressful for those living or working there. You may even find yourself constantly cleaning your home or office because you don’t have a designated place to store certain items and they are getting in the way as a result.
If this is an issue, it’s time to take action! Here are some simple ways that you can declutter your home, workspace, or dorm room to help simplify things for you:
- Create a designated place for everything.
- Purchase organizational containers.
- Let go of items you no longer need.
- Schedule regular times for cleaning and organizing your home.
- Add 1 or 2 items or your home or office that make you happy.
When we live or work in a decluttered space, we reduce the stress and anxiety that comes with having too much stuff around us.
8. Practice Letting Go of the Past
Forgiving yourself and letting go of the past is a good way to reduce stress and simplify your life.
If you have been holding onto something that happened in the past or hold some grudges against someone, it’s time for you to let this negativity go so you can live a happier and healthier lifestyle going forward.
When we hold on to the past, it can have a negative effect on our relationships and prevent us from being able to fully embrace what’s going on in the present moment.
Forgiving ourselves for something that happened frees up space so we can enjoy life more and let go of unnecessary stress.
When we can learn to forgive ourselves for past mistakes, accept the present moment for what it is, and not dwell on the negative aspects of our past or future plans, this helps us live a more simple life that doesn’t get bogged down by negativity.
9. Focus on Positivity
Focusing on the positive aspects of your life is a good way to practice simplicity and live a more stress-free lifestyle.
If you find yourself dwelling too much on negative thoughts or emotions, it’s time to take action so that this doesn’t have as big an impact on your daily routine.
Gratitude can be a great way to focus on the positive things in our lives and keep stress levels low.
You can write down a list of five or ten things that you are grateful for before going to bed at night or first thing when waking up. With time, this can help you focus more on the positive and reduce the amount of stress in your life.
10. Let Go of Perfectionism
Perfectionism can complicate our lives by creating several unrealistic and unachievable expectations for ourselves.
If you have been striving to be perfect in every aspect of your life, it’s time to let go and realize that this can actually add unnecessary pressure and stress to your life.
Perfectionism is often a cover-up for low self-esteem when we are trying so hard because we feel like something is inherently wrong with us.
When we can learn to accept ourselves for who we are, reduce our self-criticism, and not feel the need to reach perfectionism in every aspect of life, this helps us simplify things because there is less pressure on what needs to be done or how perfect everything has to look all the time.
Final Thoughts
At its core, living a simple lifestyle means focusing less on material things and more on our health, relationships with others, happiness within ourselves, and enjoying each day to its fullest potential. When we take time for self-reflection every morning or night, we can take note of the things that are important to us and what makes our life worth living.
These 10 tips can help you simplify your life and live a happier lifestyle. Choose 1 or 2 that you think will work for your lifestyle and take action on them immediately so that you can have a simpler life going forward.