When it comes to an enriching life, simplicity is key. Leading a simple lifestyle will help you cultivate a sense of happiness and wellbeing by eliminating harmful and unnecessary stressors. But how exactly do you “simplify” your life?
Simplicity is all about focusing on the essentials. By focusing on the elements in your life that contribute to your health, wellness, and happiness, you can achieve a more balanced and fulfilling everyday life. Living simplistically allows you to shed any non-essential belongings, commitments, and relationships that are weighing you down – helping you spend your time doing what’s most important to you and living a peaceful life.
Here are some tips to help you simplify your life for less stress and improved wellbeing:
Identify the essentials. Determining what’s essential to you is always the first step in simplifying. Start by asking yourself, “What do I love?” and “What’s most important to me?” Whatever is left out is non-essential to your wellbeing. Next, ask yourself, “What distracts me from doing what I love?” and “How do my everyday activities contribute to my life goals?” After answering these questions, you can pinpoint what belongings, commitments, and relationships to focus on.
Declutter. Many of us are weighed down by material possessions. They can cause financial stress, clutter your home, and even take away your attention from family and friends. Sort through your belongings and only keep essential material possessions. Donate whatever clutter you don’t need!
Evaluate your commitments. Simplifying your life involves taking back your calendar! Have you committed to certain parties or events that are taking up time that could be used on what you really want to be doing? Determine which commitments bring you joy and contribute to your essentials – and drop the rest!
Focus on quality relationships. Make time for friends and family that build you up and encourage you, and don’t be afraid to distance yourself from any toxic relationships that are bringing you down. When it comes to friends, quality always trumps quantity.
Tell people no. If the word “no” isn’t in your vocabulary, start using it today! Saying yes to every event and agreeing to every extra work project will cause you to take on more than you can handle – leading to stress and burnout.
Limit social media. Despite what many people might think, social media is not a daily essential. Spending too much time on social media can attribute to feelings of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and envy. Try limiting yourself to only using a certain amount of social media platforms for no more than a total of 30 minutes a day.
Unplug. How many hours of the day do you spend in front of a screen? You might not realize it, but media has a powerful influence on you. Put down your phone, turn off the TV, and step away from the laptop. Spend more time outdoors and fill your time with your favorite hobbies.
Leave your work at work. Your home life and work life should be two separate lives that rarely intertwine. Bringing your work home causes stress and keeps you from spending some much-needed time with family and friends, as well as diminishing any valuable alone time.
Meditate each day. Use meditation each day to find inner simplicity. If meditation isn’t your thing, try yoga, journaling, exercising, or any other thought-clearing, stress-relieving activities.
Plan your meals. Simplifying your life involves your chores too! Planning and prepping your meals in advance is a great way to minimize your time spent cooking and at the store. As a bonus, meal planning can help you eat healthily, too!
Take control over your finances. Financial stress can weigh you down and take control over your life. Try simplifying your finances by creating a personal savings plan or meeting with a financial advisor.
Organize your closet. Closets are usually the hotspot for all things unneeded and unused! Pick a weekend morning to deep clean and organize your closet. Donate any clothes or shoes that no longer fit or you don’t wear. Minimizing your wardrobe will save you time and stress when you’re getting ready in the morning.
While this might seem like a lot of tips that make simplifying seem anything but simple, remember that to really simplify your life, all you need to do is identify what’s most important to you and cut back on everything else. Focus on what brings you joy, happiness, and peace to improve holistic wellbeing.
Have you tried simplifying your life? Let us know in the comments below!
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