Friday, April 17, 2009

Living the simple life...


Simplifying life is something I hear a lot about lately both from friends and family. And there is no doubt that it is a very important step that demands a concentrated effort. A while back I had an experience and I needed to do just that. I had taken on too much and was feeling overstressed from juggling a busy schedule and too many demands. I have heard the same advice I give to friends: if you want to feel more in sync with life, you need to take steps to simplify it.

First, I thought of prioritizing my commitments and eliminate at least one. Right away, I eliminated one commitment and then later decided to let go of two more. I felt a little guilty at first, but in the end freeing up valuable time was a huge relief.

Next, I took stock of her rather lengthy "to-do" list. Long to-do lists can make you feel like you are drowning in a sea of work that will never end. I decided which tasks I would cross off, as well as what I could delegate to someone else or simply put on hold until later. I knew that shortening my list made it easier for me to complete tasks, and that gave me a feeling of accomplishment.

I also began to de-clutter my physical environment. Clutter creates a feeling of chaos and can prevent you from being relaxed and happy. Rather than trying to tackle the whole house at once, she chose to focus on one drawer, cabinet, or closet at a time. I only kept the things I really loved and used, and then gave away the rest. By de-cluttering my space, even a little at a time, I soon created a more pleasant living space.

I began to feel that much less stressed and more peaceful. If you would take into consideration my suggestions, your quality of life will be greatly improved by having a simplification overhaul. As you would imagine, I am very happy for myself!

I hope you will find this helpful. Most of us can stand to simplify our lives to some degree or can help someone close to us who is in need of doing that.

Have a great weekend!

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