Three Tips for Simplifying Your Life
By Features Desk
Thursday, June 6, 2019.
However you want to slice it, life gets seriously complicated from time to time, to the point where it can seem just about impossible to actually understand how to get a handle on things, or how to pursue your goals and dreams in an effective and consistent manner.
Partly, things can get complicated and fall out of our control, because that’s just the way life is. Personal dramas, setbacks, and surprises both pleasant and unpleasant, naturally pop up from time to time.
At the same time, though, there’s also the fact that we are all surrounded by more sources of distraction today than ever before in history.
You may start a day with all sorts of plans for what you want to achieve, only to be thrown completely off course by getting involved in an argument on social media, or getting caught in a cycle of back-to-back video watching on YouTube.
The problem with being too distracted, and with having a life that gets too complicated, is that it makes it extremely difficult to focus on the right things, to know what you should be doing at any given moment, and to make the most of your precious time on this planet.
That might sound melodramatic, but many of the most successful people in the world -- in all sorts of different areas of life, ranging from artists to business professionals -- are on record saying that they would never have been able to achieve what they did, if they weren’t able to focus carefully on the right things.
Here are a few tips for simplifying your life, so that you can make sure it’s the kind of life you really want to live.
Cut down your compulsive spending, look for better deals, and spend more time appreciating the things you already have
There are all sorts of amazing products out there, that are marketed brilliantly, in order to convince us that we need to purchase them if we want to have exciting, productive, and fun lives.
But compulsive spending only leads to an increase in the overall complexity of your life, and not in a good way, either.
Firstly, allowing yourself to pay too much attention to all the advertising hype means that you are constantly going to be craving things that you don’t yet have, and stressing and obsessing over how to get them.
When you’re not properly in control of your spending habits, it’s also the case that you are likely to end up in a much more unstable financial situation, and to constantly be dealing with difficult money questions, while struggling to pay off your credit cards.
One of the best things you can do to simplify your life, is to cut down on your compulsive spending. When there is something that you really want, or that you feel that you need, don’t purchase it immediately. Instead, consider the purchase for a week or two, first.
And then, don’t just buy it from the first possible retailer you identify. Instead, use voucher codes, and look for good deals, so that you can be more financially savvy with the things you buy.
And here’s a really important part in this whole equation – actually take the time to appreciate the things you already have, instead of always looking out for the next big purchase.
Use your gadgets, tools, and entertainment devices. Don’t just let them collect dust on your shelves. Wear your various outfits. Don’t just let them hang in your wardrobe. Remind yourself to be grateful for what you already have.
Do things the low-tech way more often
There are all sorts of potentially incredible benefits to high-tech digital tools. But, if you rely on these tools too much, you can also end up complicating your life dramatically.
Partly, this is because there is just about an unlimited number of high-tech tools and gadgets out there that you could use. And what’s more, they all tend to be feature rich, and will try to capture your attention by employing different psychological tricks to make themselves more appealing.
Then, once you sign up to those services, you typically end up paying monthly subscription fees, which you have to keep track of.
By trying to do things the low-tech way more often, you can radically simplify your life, and give yourself more space to breathe. If your “task and project manager” is a good old-fashioned paper notebook and pen, instead of three or four different apps for your smartphone, you can be a lot more relaxed and intentional about what you’re doing. In fact, there’s even evidence that just the simple act of writing things out by hand can be relaxing.
Stop trying to do everything at once – set yourself one or two big goal is to focus on, instead
The more things you try to do at once, the more stressed out you’re going to be, and the less you’re likely to achieve in any one area of your life.
This is something that serious business figures already know all about.
Warren Buffett has apparently said “the difference between successful people and really successful people, is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” And, the business productivity book, “The One Thing,” is extremely popular in entrepreneurial circles, and argues specifically that you need to do less, not more.
When you try to do everything at once, you naturally stretch your mind in multiple different directions, and increase the odds that you’re going to be overwhelmed by stress and confusion.
Instead of doing things this way, set yourself just one or two big goals to focus on, and then dedicate the majority of your time to working towards those goals, and bringing them to fruition.
For one thing, this will help you to actually gather your thoughts, and focus them in a logical and effective manner. For another thing, you’ll be able to use your time, energy, and even your financial resources, more effectively – because they will be focused in a narrow area, and can therefore have a bigger impact.
Do less, but do it better. That’s one of the keys for a simpler, but more productive life.