What are the five most important things in your life? Have you ever found yourself at the end of the day feeling like you haven't done anything you really cared about? Decide what you value most and commit your free time to those things.
Today’s world has many luxuries that are supposed to make life easier. At times they may, but other times, they make things more complicated. Meanwhile, there are lots of people who dream of simple living. They picture spending their days sitting by a lake and enjoying nature. This dream is often interrupted by reality, but it does not have to be that way. There are things we can do to begin living a simple life.
When people hear “simplify your life“, they may think it means moving into a home in the middle of the woods and living off the land. But that is not necessarily a simpler life and it may not be for everyone. Instead, try simplifying your daily activities first.
How to Live a Simple Life
1. Select your top five.
2. Create a Realistic Budget.
Budget wisely. When you have a budget in mind and it's realistic for your lifestyle it makes it easier to stick to. Being smart and realistic about this makes it so you're not worried about catching up on payments or amassing too much credit card debit.
3. Declutter your home.
A search around the home will find many things that are not needed or are no longer used. Find different ways to declutter your life and get rid of the things that are no longer necessary. It is even possible to make some money selling these things that can be used to help in other areas, such as paying off debt.
4. Get rid of monthly expenses that are not needed.
Many people are paying for gym memberships, streaming services, and many other monthly services they barely use. They have often put the monthly payments on auto pay so they do not even realize how much they are spending and not using.
There are often ways to get the same things that you get from these monthly services without having to pay. It might take effort to assess your expenses as needs and wants at first, but once it becomes a habit, it is easy to do.
5. Notice when settings are creating sensory overload
Sometimes a sense of overwhelm can be created from your environment. So, notice if some places or activities are too loud or crowded for your comfort level. Create time for meditation, yoga, or a mindful self care time.
6. Track your time.
Pay attention to how much time you are spending doing things. Look for ways to cut down on time you think is being wasted on unnecessary things. It's easy to automatically have your email sort your incoming emails in to folders, utilize an online calendar for setting meetings, etc. Americans often use busy as a standard answer and also a little bit as a status symbol. Breaking this norm is important and as Brene Brown says "Crazy-busy is a great armor, it's a great way for numbing. What a lot of us do is that we stay so busy, and so out in front of our life, that the truth of how we're feeling and what we really need can't catch up with us.”
Time and money are two of the most valuable resources people have. When life gets simpler, the amount of these two things that a person has available will rise. To me the most rewarding thing about a simpler life is having more time to be present.
7. Discover enough.
"More" is not always the answer. What point are you trying to reach? Figure out what enough is for you so you know when to stop mindlessly accumulating.
8. Quality over quantity.
Consider buying fewer goods that are better quality. Make sure you're surrounding yourself with things and people you love and see if that's more fulfilling than just having many things.
9. Take rest time.
Making boundaries is important. It might work better for you to truly switch off every day at 6PM to be present at dinner with your family or it might be more restful to have your phone and computer switched off for a Saturday. Decide what is most fulfilling and work towards making that your new habit.
10. Say no.
We often agree to take on more than we can handle. Create some boundaries on your time. When you know your major priorities, saying no becomes easier.
The great thing about this list is that people have choices. You can choose to do one of them, all of them, or some of them. Life is about choices. Choosing simple living is something that is becoming a popular thing to do for a more fulfilling journey through life.
Having a simple life is nice, but having it in your dream home is awesome. if you're thinking about buying a home that suits your style, I'm happy to help you find your next home! Get in touch so I can learn more about what you're looking for in your next Colorado home!
