One of the easiest ways to create a better life is to simplify. Look at each aspect of your life and decide what is important, what provides you happiness, and dismiss all the other clutter.
Simplifying is not easy. It cannot be accomplished in an afternoon. It is a process of evaluating and reevaluating everything in your life and determining what provides you the most pleasure and satisfaction.
The following list will help you simplify your life. These are just suggestions, and each item may not apply to each person.
1. Make a list of the five most important things to you.
Limit this list to only five; anything over this amount will increase your stress level.
2. Evaluate Your Daily Activities.
Take a close look at what you do each day. Are your actions geared toward your five priorities?
3. Evaluate Your Commitments.
Reduce your commitments to only those that fall in line with your goals.
4. Reduce Housework.
Many times people find that their “to-do” list around the home is longer than any list they have at work. The key to success in this area is to learn when to delegate and when to hire help.
5. Reduce your Wardrobe.
Closets and drawers bursting at the seams only cause clutter and chaos. Sort through your clothes, remove items that no longer fit, are in fashion or are not worn. Donate them to a good charity.
6. Reevaluate Each Room In Your Home.
Remove anything and everything that is not used, not appealing or does not work toward your goals. When the task is done, hold a tag-sale and donate anything left over to charity.
7. Reduce Electronic Communication.
It is very easy to become consumed by electronic communication.
8. Limit Media.
Internet, television, talk radio and newspapers can easily become a bad habit. Spending too much time on these items detracts from your goals.
9. Simplify Your Computer.
Do you have excessive files and programs on your computer? Clean up your computer by deleting files or storing them to a disk for future use.
10. Reduce Buying.
Many times people become a slave to material objects. Before making a purchase of any kind stand back and ask yourself if it will provide you pleasure after you get it home, or will the pleasure just come from making the purchase itself.
11. Reduce Time Wasting.
Look at tasks you are performing and determine if they take too long for the desired outcome. All too often time is spent on projects that provide little satisfaction.
12. Spend Time Alone.
Dedicating a little time to yourself each day will help you regroup and refresh.
13. Spend Time With Family.
When you find time to spend with your family you will be a happier person.
14. Do Something You Love.
This will undoubtedly coincide with your five important things.
15. Chew Your Food.
When you sit down to eat, enjoy it. Take the time to chew it, savor the flavor and enjoy any company you may have during the meal.
16. Eat Healthier Foods.
While this may not seem like a task for creating a simpler life, it truly is one. If you take care of yourself by eating right, you will not face future medical problems.
17. Create A Menu.
This reduces food waste, time spent at the grocery store and the amount of time wasted on deciding what to prepare each night.
18. Take A Walk.
Exercise is another thing that can provide health benefits and reduce complications in your life.
19. Slow Down On The Road.
Speeding is not only unsafe, it causes stress.
20. De-Clutter Your Office.
When you are at work you need to be able to complete your job. This is much simpler when the office is not cluttered.
21. Filing System Evaluation.
Does your filing system cause you stress? Reevaluate how your filing system is set up and change it accordingly.
22. Electronic Storage.
If your office is overflowing with papers? Scan everything into files for easy access and ship the hard copies to storage.
23. Everything In Its Place.
This age-old saying is one of the best pieces of advice for people looking to simplify their lives.
24. Reduce Yard Work.
While some people may find joy working in their yards, most do not. Create a landscape that is easy to maintain.
25. Recover From Stress.
Find a way to deal with your stress; everyone has it, which will work toward your goals.
26. Creativity Counts.
Find a way to express your inner creativity, it will help you relax.
27. Quit Multi-Tasking.
Approach each task individually, it will be completed easier and cause less stress.
28. Deliberate Actions.
Make everything you do count, this reduces wasted time and energy
29. Reduce Advertising Consumption.
Advertisements convince people they need items that are unnecessary for happiness.
30. Goal List – Part 1.
Make a list each morning of things you wish to accomplish and stick to the list.
31. Goal List – Part 2.
Make a list of current life goals and use the list to set your daily goals.
32. Streamline.
The more you reduce outside influences, the more things you will accomplish with your personal goals.
33. Simple Pleasures.
Make time each day to enjoy something, anything, but make sure it provides pleasure.
34. Automatic Bill Pay.
Reduce stress, clutter from paper bills and running to the mailbox by having your bills automatically deducted from your account.
35. Create A Budget.
When you know where your money is being spent and invested you reduce stress and chaos.
36. Financial Planning.
Create a retirement account for yourself so you do not have to worry about the future and contribute to it regularly.
37. Do Not Schedule Tasks Back to Back.
Leave a little breathing room between meetings and tasks. This covers anything unexpected as well as gives you time to relax.
38. Create A Routine For Work And Home.
If you have a routine to follow it will be much harder to become sidetracked from your goals.
39. Define “Enough”.
When you know what “enough” of anything is you will be able to reduce what you need for happiness.
40. Live In The Now.
When you live in the present you will easily be able to accomplish your goals. Wasting time worrying about the future or pondering over the past is just that, a waste of time.
No comments:
Post a Comment