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Tips To Simplify Your Life
If you’re trying to lower overwhelm in your life, a little bit of simplification might be in order. But how exactly do you make your day-to-day tasks less complicated and, therefore, make going from task to task a little easier? There are actually several ways to do this, and a few industry experts might be able to help you find just what you need to simplify your life.
Is it worth it to declutter your closet and make it easier to choose your clothes each day? Does meditation actually do anything? Are there any ways to make eating more healthfully a little less complex? If you’re looking for help in any of these areas, as well as several more, please keep reading! You’re in the right place if you’d like some help simplifying your life.
Declutter Your Closet
According to Yuvraj Tuli, the Founder of Compound Banc, it might be helpful to declutter your closet. “You’d be surprised how much stress you can get just from trying to look through all of your clothes and trying to select an outfit each day,” says Yuvraj Tuli. “So try setting aside some time to declutter your closet of anything you don’t need or don’t really wear anymore. It makes it much easier to make a decision and reduces decision fatigue.”
Or, if you’d like to take it a step further, consider converting to a capsule wardrobe. “Some people might find it a bit overkill,” says Michael Burghoffer, the CEO of PicoSolutions, “but having a capsule wardrobe can make your life incredibly simple when it comes to selecting clothing. Narrowing down your closet to only 30 or 40 pieces and making sure most of your clothes already match each other means that you can basically get dressed in the dark and no one will ever know.”
While you don’t necessarily need to be a minimalist in order to simplify your life, reducing the number of items you have in your home may allow you to feel less stressed or disorganized. Starting with a clothing closet is often a great place to start for many people.
Meditate
Much can be said about the effects of meditation, and you might be surprised at the amount it can simplify your day-to-day life. “I know that everyone talks about meditation,” says Cody Candee, the Founder and CEO of Bounce, “but it’s truly life changing. It helps to remove negative thoughts over time, allows you to get used to your own thoughts and silence, and can even boost productivity.”
In addition to meditating, you may also want to try implementing deep-breathing exercises into your day-to-day life. Matas Jakutis, the CMO of ForceField, says that “Deep breathing exercises are wonderful at reducing feelings of stress and overwhelm, and it also allows you to lower your heart rate. Many doctors and psychologists really stand by this, especially if you need help with anxiety or anger management.” It sounds like sitting with your thoughts really allows your mind to reset and make better decisions.
Create a Task List Based on Your Priorities
Lin Yutang, a Chinese inventor, linguist, and philosopher, stood by the concept of prioritization, using it to his advantage. Lin says, “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials.” Knowing what tasks to leave behind, as well as which ones must be completed, allows you to simplify your life and take full advantage of the time you have.
Unsubscribe From Email Lists
If you’re not interested in decluttering your home, you might be able to declutter your technology-based life. This might include your social media followers, the email subscriptions you have, and clearing your phone’s photo album.
“You don’t need to spend so much time checking your email,” starts Michael Fischer, the Founder of Elite HRT. “You really don’t need to read every newsletter that comes up onto your feed, check every notification that pops up on your phone, or scroll through every picture on your social media timeline. Do a bit of a purge, clean up your subscriptions, and see how much time and energy you get back.” According to Michael Fischer, this is a great way to take better advantage of the time you have, as well as get rid of some pesky annoyances.
Pack Your Lunch the Night Before
According to Alex Carroll, the Founder of Caliber Games, getting a few things done the night before might be pretty helpful. “I try to pack my lunch the night before,” begins Alex Carroll, “so that I don’t need to feel rushed or worried about it in the morning. You’d be shocked how many things you can do before you go to bed, as well as how much stress it takes off your mind when you want to sleep well.”
It sounds like you can do more than just pack a lunch before you go to bed, especially if you want to focus on getting to work on time. You might also consider packing your bag, organizing your files, or refilling your water bottle.
Listen to Podcasts and Audiobooks
Rachel Reid, the CEO of Subtl Beauty, says, “I learn so much more now that I’ve started listening to podcasts and audiobooks on my daily commute. So many of us don’t have time to read in the traditional way any more, and taking advantage of that time unlocks so much untapped potential to get things done.”
If you’ve been craving learning but simply feel like you don’t have enough time, audiobooks and podcasts certainly seem like a pretty good alternative. While you can listen to novels, you can also listen to self-help books, financial podcasts, and many other forms of audio-based content.
Keep Healthy Snacks at Your Desk
The Head of People and Partners at Flaus, Lindsay Hischebett, has a great tip for improving your eating habits. “I know that lots of offices offer snacks to their employees for free, but so many of them aren’t very healthy. I make it easier for me to eat something good for my body by keeping better snacks at my desk. It eliminates the need to get up, and search for something else.”
While work providing snacks certainly seems like a positive aspect of being in the office, this may not be the case if you want to focus on your health and well-being. Packing your own snacks, or actively choosing to stock up on the healthier snack options in your office instead, may be the tip you need.
Write To-Do Lists Before You Go to Sleep
You might also want to try writing out your to-do lists before you go to bed. “Something that takes so much stress off of my shoulders,” starts Adam Bém, the Co-Founder and COO of Victoria VR, “is writing my to-do list for the next day before I head to bed. It takes extra thoughts out of my mind, makes it easier for me to fall asleep quickly, and allows me to get started on my necessary tasks far more quickly than would otherwise be the case.”
This might be helpful, especially if you have several projects running at the same time or if you work more than one job. So allow yourself to sleep restfully and lower your stress levels by following this helpful tip.
Pick Your Clothes Before You Go to Bed
Try picking out your clothes before bed as well. “I don’t know about you,” says Chris Vaughn, the CEO of Emjay, “but I have a very difficult time getting out the door on time if I have to pick my clothes in the morning. I try to pick my outfit for the next day before I go to sleep, and it makes it way easier to make good use of my time in the morning.”
As you can see, a great way to simplify your life is by preparing for the next day ahead of time, even before you go to bed if that’s the only time you have available in the day. So, especially if you’ve already tried a few of these other suggestions, try adding clothes selection to your nighttime routine.
Set Healthier Thinking Habits
If you’re struggling to deal with the complexities of mental health, it may be a good idea to start setting some healthier thinking habits. “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple,” explains Steve Jobs, “But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”
This might include starting a gratitude journal, using more realistic self-talk, or going to therapy for more personalized health. Jobs is correct when he says that you are able to do more when you clean up your thinking. Being kinder to yourself may help you achieve all the things you’ve been trying to accomplish.
If you’re having a hard time simplifying your life, there are a few helpful steps you may want to take in order to get back on track. Take advantage of the time you have at night so you can prepare for the next day, improve your thought processes, and enjoy a little bit more relaxation.
