Does life feel a little overwhelming at times? With having to balance work, social life, family life, maintaining a clean and clutter free home, it is definitely a delicate balance. And not an easy one to achieve at all times. Especially if you consider the fact that balance is a moment, before things are out of balance again.
And if you feel like you’re constantly trying to find time for everything and struggling, then maybe this post is you and the answer lies in simplifying your life.
What does a SIMPLE LIFE look like?
A simple life means different things for different people. but in its core, it means removing un-necessary things from your life and keeping only what’s important. It can be applied to material possessions or your time and energy and how and where you spend them.
It means spending time with the people you love and in doing the things you love doing and not wasting your time on people who bring you down.
It means owning things that you really like or that serve a practical purpose and removing clutter. It means being more intentional about your habits and routines and being aware of the direction your life is headed and also in control, while removing stress and anxiety.
Does that sound like something you want?
Then In post we’re discussing how you can simplify your life in 30 days.
QUICK DISCLAIMER:
Simple living does not mean “easy”. For the most part, simplifying your life is going to be tough. It’s because we’re so deeply rooted in our ways and habits and changing something requires efforts from our end. And simplifying your life will require you to create boundaries and stand by them, at times.
But, it can also be very rewarding and in this post, I am discussing how you can simplify your life in 30 days. You can of course take these steps over a longer stretch of time or even make all of them in a week. 30 days is just to give you an idea.
30 days to simplify your life:
1.Set simple goals: yearly & Monthly:
Life often feels chaotic and out of order and you feel like you have no control over the direction, when you set no goals for your life. Goals will give you more direction and a fair idea of where you should be spending your time and energy instead of focussing on things that are not important.
Setting yearly goals and then dividing them into smaller monthly goals will set you up for success. Monthly goals will help you regain focus and clarity at the beginning of the month.
While setting your goals, don’t go overboard too. Set simple, clear goals that you can measure. Don’t think about outcomes. When it comes to goal setting, I always make it a goal to put in efforts. So say, I have a goal to write 10 blogposts a month. That’s something I can control. I don’t set goals like have 2 viral blogposts. Because going viral is so random and something that’s totally out of my hands.
RELATED: HOW TO SET SMART GOALS & ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THEM
2. CREATE A SIMPLE MORNINg ROUTINE:
You do not need a 3 hour long morning routine that you may have seen in youtube videos. What others people morning routines look like should only inspire you to create one that suits YOU best. Because you are a different person than them, so your ideal routine will also look different.
It all depends on what your priorities and goals are and how much time you have in the mornings. I wake up at 5 AM everyday and love my Morning routine.
But does that mean you need to wake up at 5 too?
Absolutely not.
Don’t get influenced by other people’s routine. Make one that fits you and that is sustainable for you. Because it will always keep changing and you will have to keep adjusting it to the changes in your life. My routine completely changed after becoming a mom, so you get the point right?
In case you want to wake up early and find it too difficult, here is how to become a morning person.
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3. Declutter your home:
Decluttering your home and keeping a tidy space does wonders for your wellbeing. It keeps my mind at peace and organised too. A clean house feels like a blessing, especially in mornings. And decluttering simply means having less clutter to deal with, which means cleaning your entire house is easier.
I declutter and clean whenever I am looking for a fresh start and it gives such an instant boost to my mood and mindset as well.
Give it a try! Here are 23 things to remove from your bedroom right now to make it a calm and relaxing space.
4. Start writing A Daily to-do list:
Writing down all your tasks for the day will give you a bird’s eye view of how busy your day looks and what should you prioritise. knowing what is on the agenda for the day and scheduling your day will save you from being stressed late through the day.
Being in control of your time and knowing where you’ll be spending it is empowering. Writing your to-dos daily also allows you to work towards your goals and do reviews every now and then.
5. Quit staying up late:
I hate to break it to you, but if you need a better life, you need to quit staying up late binge watching Netflix and eating a bag of chips for a late night snack. You could instead go to bed at a reasonable hour and start waking up earlier than usual.
Waking up early in the mornings gives you the time to work on your self development goals. If you are not a morning person and find it difficult to drag yourself out of bed every morning, here is how to wake up earlier and not feel tired.
6. Make a simple night routine:
The key to having a great productive day is preparing for it the night prior. And making a simple night routine will help you do exactly that. Make a night routine that allows you to unwind and relax after work before you start the next day.
7. Purge your wardrobe:
Get rid of clothes that don’t fit you anymore. Same goes for clothes that are out of style and you won’t be wearing in near future. Donate clothes that don’t fit your personal style at the moment.
These clothes that you don’t even wear are causing un-necessary clutter in your closet and your life. So dedicate a weekend to getting rid of stuff and be mindful about it. The change may seem like a difficult one at first, but you will benefit from it.
8. Make a capsule wardrobe:
While we’re purging, why not try out a capsule wardrobe too. I am not saying go crazy and wear the same outfit everyday. But make a capsule wardrobe in which everything goes with everything.
It makes getting ready in the morning such a breeze. Not standing in front of your closet every morning trying to decide what to wear save you so much decision fatigue.
Also, saves you money in the long run because it definitely helps with your spending habits and you will no longer be impulse buying trendy clothes that you never wear.
9. Learn to say NO:
We all have 24 hours in a day and if you keep saying yes to everyone and everything, you will be constantly struggling to find a balance in your life. Learn how to stay no politely and say no to plans that don’t serve you.
Along with a hard no, also learn to set time boundaries for activities and for people too. If you’re meeting with someone to catch up, let them know in advance that you only have an hour. And when that’s over, politely tell them that you have other commitments.
10. Start a Life planner:
Having your life organised and in a place is one of the easiest and simplest things you can do to simplify your life. Having a life planner means you will no longer be forgetting important dates/appointments, you will no longer be wasting time remembering passwords and usernames or in resetting them.
It is a place where you can write down all your important bill payments and when they’re due each month, so you never forget any payments. A life planner can also be a place to write down all your lists that will keep you organised.
If you’re new to list making, let me tell you what you’ve been missing out on. here are 15 lists you can make to be super organised and to simplify your life.
11. Unsubscribe for email lists:
So you subscribed to an email list for a freebie once or made an account on a platform and got automatically subscribed to their newsletters. Unsubscribe from them right now. Those emails that fill up your inbox with un-necessary emails that no longer serve you. You do not need that kind (or any kind) of clutter in your life.
Also, it makes going through your emails that much easier.
12. Start a Budget:
If you are new to budgeting and financial planning, you need to invest more time to learn the basics. Honestly, it is the stuff they should teach in schools, but they don’t.
So you need to learn it yourself. And if you do not have a budget right now, you need to start making one. It will help you keep your spending habits in check.
There are so many amazing resources online that teach you all about it, but the basic idea is to do a 50-30-20 budget. So you spend 50% of your income on living expenses, 30% on lifestyle and 20% goes to savings.
13. Meal planning & Meal prepping:
If you are not in the habit of planning your meals in advance, you need to give it a try. Meal planning in advance and meal prepping on the weekends will help you make more healthier choices and have more home cooked meals.
Meal planning is also great because you end up using the things you already have in your pantry instead of buying more and letting them go to waste. It will also help you in reducing your food wastage.
We always do the basic meal prepping on the weekends which makes cooking on the weekdays such a breeze.
14. Workout & Plan your workouts:
Working out everyday for at least 30 minutes will give you more energy and more focus for the things you need to get done. Exercise is such a mood lifter too. But if you’re not planning your workouts in advance, you will never get around to doing them.
So, select some workouts in advance and set out workout clothes for the morning, the night before.
15. Keep a water bottle with you:
Staying hydrated is so important and one of the easiest ways to stay sharp throughout the day. And while we all want to drink more water, we rarely do so. So why not make it easier for yourself by carrying a water bottle with you.
16. Adopt one good habit at a time:
Simplifying your life and improving your lifestyle requires breaking through old habits and building good habits in place. But be gentle with yourself because you’re looking to make it sustainable for you. Don’t go overboard with the changes and challenges you see on social media.
Instead, focus on building 1-2 good habits at a time. And when they become apart of your routine, take up another one.
17. Have your meals on time:
Fuelling your body with good food is such a simple thing we can do. but with our busy lives we often get in the habit of neglecting our meal timings.
Change this habit and make it a rule to always have your breakfast, lunch and dinner on time. It seems like such a simple habit but makes so much of a difference.
18. Stop multi-tasking:
Our minds are always running around in different directions and we never seem to focus on the task at hand because we got into the habit of multi-tasking. We constantly leave tasks completed before jumping onto the next.
So quit multi-tasking and make it a habit to complete a task before moving onto the next. Whenever you’re doing something, be fully present.
Even if you’re watching a TV show, Stop using your phone and enjoy the show, please?
19. Practise slow living:
Adopting slow living practices into our routines can help us simplify your busy lives. Stop rushing from one thing to another and take your time doing something you really enjoy doing.
On Sundays I spend my morning in the garden looking after plant babies, harvesting veggies, taking pauses every once in a while to appreciate the colors of the leaves and the beauty. All without putting a timer on and without thinking about what I need to do next.
Doing something while being fully immersed in it, is such a form of meditation as well.
20. Limit your media consumption:
these days we scroll through our phones, sometimes for hours, often while being unaware of the impact it has on our minds.
Being more mindful of the content you consume can help you be more calm and happier. So audit the accounts you follow on social media and what their content makes you feel. And unfollow any accounts that serve you no purpose.
If you feel too distracted by it, or of you find yourself reaching for your phone every few minutes, consider doing a digital detox.
21. Limit your buying habits:
If you feel the need to indulge in online shopping every other day or if you consider shopping a therapy, then you need to re-evaluate your spending habits. Buying new material things will never bring you joy and if you keep seeking happiness in material things, you will never have enough.
Instead, declutter and simplify your life. If you are a serial shopper, do a No-buy month for things like clothes etc. Buying less means wasting less money, having less clutter to deal with and a simpler life.
22. Take breaks between work:
Taking small 5 minute breather breaks between work will help you in being less stressed and more focussed. So when you get something done, take a 5-10 minutes break to relax your breath, be present in the moment and re-centre your focus, before jumping onto the next task.
Practicing and doing breathing exercises is also a great way to come back to the present moment and such an effective exercise for anxiety as well. Whenever you feel yourself worrying too much about the future or what’s to come, take a breather.
And as you take deep breaths, you will find calm and come back to the present. Because everything that you’re anxious about hasn’t even happened. Stop worrying about the future and focus on what you can do in the present.
23. Organise your digital files:
Be it hundreds of files on your phone or your desktop, it’s time to set up an organisation system that works for you. One great way to do so is to keep everything on cloud, but again, do what works for you.
Remove duplicate files and save the rest in an order so you can find them easily. And for the future, make it a system to declutter them every week or so.
I download so many things and used to have them all on my desktop, which made the home screen look super cluttered. But I no longer do that and it is so much easier to keep tabs on everything when they’re well organised.
24: Learn how to rest without feeling guilt:
Taking breaks can be a cause of guilt in today’s hustle culture because you can always be doing more. But, taking breaks is actually good for you. And learning to enjoy your breaks without guilt is one of the best things you can do.
Whenever you’re resting, rest. Be fully aware that you’re taking a break because you need it. Your body and mind deserve breaks too. No matter how close/far you are to reaching your goals, you can still get tired. So give yourself grace and love.
25. Spend more quality time with your loved ones:
Spending more quality time with the people you love is such a simple practise to simplify life. Doing something that brings you joy is the essence of simple living.
So spend more time with the people who matter to you and whenever you do that, keep your phones aside and be fully present.
If you work for yourself, don’t forget to take at least a day off to spend with your family. I have a simple rule: There is no point in all the hustle and struggles, if you can’t give one day to your family.
26. Create a vision board:
A simple life does not mean you have no ambitions or have to live really frugally. It just means you know what you want and what’s important to you and how to get there.
You are no longer running around in every direction trying to make things work. you know you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
And you know exactly what kind of a life you’re building. That’s where a vision board comes in. Have a clear idea of the kind of life you want is the best ways to simplify your life.
Having a life vision board will help you make the right choices and create the life of your dreams.
It will also help you in being more conscious of your choices and whether or not they are taking you towards your dream life or not. And if not, it is time to make some gradual changes.
27. Simplify home tasks:
Decluttering and organising are great, but they are not one time solution to keeping your home clean and clutter free. In order to keep a clutter free and tidy home, you need to come up with systems to simplify your home tasks.
So make a list and prioritise while getting things done. Also make a 15 minute declutter and tidy a part of your daily routine. Because when you do that daily, you don’t have to spend hours decluttering and cleaning on the weekends.
28. Lean to spend alone time:
Spending time alone or being alone can be uncomfortable for some people but learning to spend more alone time is great. Spending time alone, in silence, doing nothing, is a great way to simplify your life.
Take this time to be fully present, notice your breath, let your thoughts flow without any judgements or simply let yourself be bored. Spend some time going on a long walk(minus your phone), enjoy the nature and your surroundings. or go get brunch at your favourite place and savour every bite of that meal instead of cramming food down your throat and being rushed.
29. Define what Simple living means to you:
Everyone’s idea of simple living is different and don’t let anyone tell you what you want from your life. Envision the life you want and what simple living means to you. And put it on paper.
Write down everything in as much detail as possible and then slowly eliminate things that don’t match with your vision.
Simple living doesn’t necessarily mean you have to live in the country side in a detached house. It could mean living in the heart of the city as well. Totally depends on how you’re looking to simplify your life.
30. Learn to be better at communicating:
Effective communication is the key to keeping a simple life at work as well as at home. Being clear about what you want and communicating it effectively is the key to building strong relationships.
Don’t force connections with people. Be your truest self and whatever relationships align with that are worth your time, others not so much. And it is such an easy way to simplify your life. We spend so much tie trying to make people like us, but the fact is, being your authentic self is all you can do. Stop worrying too much about what others think.
And there you go. 30 easy ways to simplify your life in 30 days. Again, this is just to give you an idea. It’s okay of you can’t make all these changes in 30 days. go at your own pace. Start 1-2 from the list and then move onto the next when you’ve built those habits.
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