Simplify Your Life in 50+ Easy Ways Today
Simplify your life, sounds good right?
Well it is! There are so many ways that we can make life that little bit easier for ourselves. This list gives you some great ideas of where to start.
Life is yours for the living and your time should be spent doing the things you want to do, living the life you deserve and desire. We are only here once, so lets lose the complicated and embrace the simplicity together.
Get started with one or two of these ideas. Unless you are a superhero I wouldn’t try to do them all at once… that would just make simplicity complicated and that’s definitely not the point of this. Take it easy on yourself.
Now let’s get to it!
Clear out your email.
Yes those email accounts with the thousands of unread emails just sitting there that you will never get around to reading. You have enough to do without reading emails from 6 months ago. If any of those emails are important, the person who sent them will make sure you know. DELETE!
Drink more water.
You know that clear liquid of life? We do not drink enough of that. When we are dehydrated, our brains find it hard to concentrate and our bodies are weakened. Not drinking enough water is like trying to drive a car on empty – it won’t work very well. Your body needs water. Grab yourself a reusable water bottle and fill it up!
Do your shopping online. Simplify your life by removing one place to go in your week.
The internet means we can get things delivered to our homes… so why (WHY?) are we trekking ourselves and our families out to the supermarket at least once a week to stand in queues and run around people’s trolleys like an obstacle course. Get your groceries delivered and enjoy the calm! Think big and see what else you can get delivered too.
Organise your purse or wallet.
Purses are full of cards, cash, receipts, and other things that I’m not even sure how they end up in there. Clear it out, and schedule this on repeat every week
Single-task. Seriously. Simplify Your Life.
Multi-tasking is a sure-fire way to feel overwhelmed, stressed and to burnout. While it is often lauded as the strength of a woman, which I do not doubt by the way, women CAN multi-task hard! But is multi-tasking really the best way to operate? Your mind is never fully on one task, or truly in one moment. Give your brain a break and focus on one task at a time.
Automate your payments.
Paper bills, email bills, this date, that date… trying to remember when everything is paid and where means that you are never fully allowing your brain to relax. And then the dread and panic set in when you think you might have missed a payment, or when you get an unexpected (forgotten) bill. Automate your bills so you never have to worry about them again. What a way to simplify your life!
Drive slowly. Simplify your life by allowing yourself time.
We spend so much of our lives rushing from place to place, pickup to drop-off, meeting to meeting. So much of that time is spent in the car, but driving when we are stressed and rushing is a dangerous business. We are much less likely to react appropriately in a hazardous situation. Create enough time in your day to allow you to drive slowly and safely.
Schedule time with friends.
Social media, smartphones and the constant connection that exists these days means that often we don’t spend as much time in the presence of our friends as we used to. But there really is no substitute for human contact. Scheduling a coffee, a walk and a catch-up with friends is a great way to boost your mood and remind you of what is important.
Get a crock-pot.
A slow cooker is a revelation for busy households, busy families and busy people. You can pop your meal on to cook and it will be ready for you at dinnertime without any intervention from you. There are literally thousands upon thousands of slow cooker recipes to make life that littl e bit easier.
Create a cleaning schedule.
Staying on top of the chores is made much easier with a cleaning routine. It can help kick the overwhelm of having so much to do, and can ease the frustration when something goes awry like an unexpected spillage. By creating a routine of all your cleaning tasks on a daily, weekly, monthly basis, you can delegate some tasks easily to other family members.
Go for a walk. The easiest first step to simplify your life.
Never underestimate the power of a walk outside. Nature has a brilliant way of calming us and bringing us back down to earth. We don’t spend enough time outside, and we certainly don’t spend enough time walking. These days we are rushed to get everywhere so why not schedule a walk to the store, to meet a friend, or try a walking meeting at work. If you want to start to simplify your life easily, this is a great first step.
Make Amends.
Guilt can be severely damaging to our mental well-being and can catch us off-guard when we least expect it. If you have hurt someone or need to offer up an apology, why not take a step towards making amends today? Alleviate the guilt you are feeling and dealing with by making the decision to move forward with intention and love.
Take a TV break.
TV can become such a time thief, especially when we are living so fast that our evenings and weekends are spent lying out in front of the TV. Instead why not try reading a book, or playing a board game with your family? You could even re-arrange your living room furniture so that the TV is no longer the focal point. This might make it less likely that you turn on the TV without thinking.
Cut out unnecessary payments.
Get involved in your finances. Sometimes we can forget we have signed up for a free trial or a service that we no longer use. Other times we put off the cancellation process because it involves a phone call or we tell ourselves we don’t have time. This money could be used to have a great experience and make some memories. Delve into your finances and cull.
Find your creativity.
Our creative outlets can often fall by the wayside as we focus on “more important” matters in our lives. But creativity is more than just a hobby or some fun, it is a way to express ourselves, even without us knowing or realising it. What we create is from our hearts and souls, and to allow ourselves the space to manifest our inner thoughts and feelings, is to be true to ourselves.
Stock up on healthy snacks. Simplify your life with less unhealthy temptations.
When we are busy living, it’s all too easy to grab a biscuit or a bag of crisps as a snack to keep us going. The sugar and caffeine boosts perk us up until the next crash when we inevitably repeat the same cycle. Stocking up on healthy snacks to have at hand means that when you are busy or rushing out the door, you will always have a nutritious option ready and available.
Check your email at set times only.
The world has got into this terrible habit of expecting an instant or almost-instant response to emails. It’s as if we should all be chained to our desks, laptops, tablets and phones receiving and acting upon every notification immediately. That is completely unhealthy and it is also counter-productive. Set boundaries with your email and let people know that you will only be checking it at certain times of the day. You will be surprised at how much you can achieve when email isn’t distracting you.
Give back.
As humans I believe we have an innate need to do good for others. Of course it makes us feel good, but it also brings joy to so many. Small acts of kindness and love can make a huge impact on someone’s day and even their life. Living simply is not only about self. It is about living in such a way that we do no damage to the world, or to others. It is about bringing intention love back to our lives. Why not pay it forward today? Or make a donation to a local charity?
Use a Keep Cup. Simplify your life and reduce waste!
Takeaway cups cannot be recycled. They sit in our cars, on our desks or in our lunch bags until we can find a bin for them (or find the will to take them to a bin). They are creating unnecessary waste and they just are plain NASTY to drink out of. Why go to all that trouble to buy a nice coffee or matcha lat te, only to have to drink it.
Practice gratitude.
Gratitude really does make you feel happier. In positive psychology, Gratitude plays a big part in helping you to have more positive emotional reactions, enjoy good moments, handle adversity in your stride, and to just plain feel a bit better. There are a lot of different ways to practice gratitude, but why not start right now? Think about something you appreciate right now in this moment.
Find joy in living frugally.
Living simply and intentionally is connected to minimalism. I am a firm believer that “stuff” is a root cause of unhappiness, overwhelm and discontent. “Stuff” is driven by money. Money is what makes us want to Keep-Up-With-The-Joneses as it were by living expensively and often breaking ourselves in the process. Living does not have to be expensive. There is beauty in frugality. Why not organise a free activity this week with your partner or family? There is plenty out there to be explored.
Evaluate your time and simplify your life.
I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME! Sound familiar? This used to be one of my favourite phrases, until I realised just how much of my valuable time I actually wasted and how much I didn’t account for in my schedule. Evaluate how much time you are spending on your phone, or doing things you hadn’t planned, or even avoiding things on your list. I promise you will realise just how much time you truly do have available in your day.
Clear your desktop screen and use the cloud.
Hands up if you have a desktop covered in icons? Or a laptop full to the brim with files? Have you considered moving them to the cloud? It will free up space on your device, plus it means you will never lose them. And if you are on the move, you will be able to access them anywhere meaning you might be able to leave the laptop at home once in a while and bring your tablet instead. Save your shoulders and save your sanity by taking a few hours to move into the cloud.
Cut out toxic people. Simplify your life and your headspace.
People who don’t want the best for you have no right to be in your life. Why would we want those people around us? Energy vampires, mood hoovers, bullies, emotional manipulators – they should be not be occupying any space in your life. It might seem harsh, but if your child had a friend who treated them badly, would you intervene? I think I certainly would… so why won’t we intervene in our own lives. Take a step away from a negative person in your life. Don’t reach out. Put boundaries and distance in place between you and stay strong. You deserve to be surrounded by love.
Eat slowly.
We are rushing about from place to place with jam-packed schedules filled to the brim with ALL THE THINGS… but the most important things, the things we need to do to survive, those get rushed in a two-minute window while we sit at our desk and type with the other hand. Eating should be slow. It should be an experience. It should be a moment where you connect with your body and rest. Try to schedule meal times and take your time eating. Your digestive system will thank you.
Address your debt.
Debt can bring misery, but it won’t go away without you taking some steps. The first step is to acknowledge that you have debt, and the next is to make a plan of action. This might be to talk to your partner or friend, or to talk to a support agency such as StepChange if you are in the UK. Seek out debt support wherever you are based. They are there to help. Starting to address the problem will lift a weight and help you to feel supported to deal with the debt.
Breathe. A quick tip to simplify your life.
Of course we breathe without thinking or else… well… you know. But in the middle of it all, in the traffic jams, the school runs, the chaotic shopping centres, the busy office, the never-ending housework, the most powerful thing you can do to take back control is to intentionally breathe. To connect to your breath and to focus on it. To slow it down and to control it. Why not try 4-4-4 breathing:
- Take a breath in through your nose for 4 slow but comfortable counts
- Hold this breath for 4 slow but comfortable counts
- Breathe out through your mouth for 4 slow but comfortable counts.
Repeating this 4 times will bring you some peace and clarity, and help you to tune out all the noise of the world around you.
Schedule time with your partner or family members.
Time together with loved ones, be it your partner, your family or your friends is truly powerful. Being surrounded by people who love you is often the best medicine. I wholeheartedly believe that a loving environment keeps us healthy mentally and physically, so schedule some time to do something together. It doesn’t have to cost anything if money is tight. You could go for a walk together, or cook dinner together at home. Share some quality time away from screens and devices and you will all benefit.
Change your work schedule.
Work life and work schedules are often not conducive to real life. There are some changes being made in this space with concepts such as flexible working, but unfortunately those changes aren’t happening quick enough and aren’t happening universally across all industries and workplaces. If you are struggling with the current demands placed upon your schedule because of work, or even with the schedule you are having to keep up with during work hours, why not have a chat with your manager or HR to see if there are any positive changes you can make? Remember, this will make you a more engaged and more productive employee so it is of mutual benefit to you and the workplace.
Get comfortable saying no.
No should be a well-used word in your vocabulary. Not because you don’t want to support people or get involved, but because you are in control of your time and your life, and that will often mean having to say no. This can be a very difficult habit to start and maintain because we don’t want to hurt people, offend people or have them think bad of us. But really, if you said no kindly to someone who made a suggestion or provided you with an opportunity, and they reacted badly, is that someone you want in your life? You need people around you who support and understand your need for boundaries.
Limit what you buy. Simplify your life with less.
Consumerism and shopping can give us a dopamine boost. That means our brain tells us it feels good! The problem here is that it drains our wallets, and it is superficial happiness. Unless you have bought something meaningful or necessary, the feeling of joy created will not last because the item itself doesn’t bring you joy. Through being more conscious about what we purchase, we can feel truly happy with the items we do purchase.
Create a capsule wardrobe.
How much time do we spend scrutinising our outfits? Deciding what to wear? Changing because we aren’t sure? Or just being so overwhelmed with choices that we find it hard to make a decision? A capsule wardrobe is a simple-life-livers dream. It takes out all the fuss and faff around what you will wear and it means that every single outfit you put on makes you feel magnificent. Cut down your wardrobe to the things that you love. Fill in any gaps with staple items that you can wear in different outfits.
Simplify your life by leaving space in your day.
Schedules and diaries these days are full to the brim. There is no space or time in between all of the activities, places to be and people to see. But there should be, if for nothing else, it helps keep the rest of your schedule on track if you are running late or run into unexpected traffic. Create a little space in your day between all of the things you have scheduled and give yourself a change to catch your breath.
Reflect on your values.
When we are living fast and feeling cluttered, we can shift away from our values often without realising. Our boundaries begin to drop lower than we would like, and we might find ourselves saying or doing things that just don’t quite sit right with us. Busyness is a way to keep us from being truly connected to ourselves and the world around us. Take some time to reflect on what truly matters to you and decide if you need to make any changes to how you are living to make sure your values are at the heart of everything.
Exercise.
Exercise makes us glow. It does wonders for the body but also for the mind. It is a great way to take some time out for self-care, and it can even be meditative! A short 10-minute workout each day, even from the comfort of your own home, can do wonders for how you approach your day and your life. You will feel better for it, I promise.
Create a morning ritual.
Setting yourself up for your day is vitally important. A morning ritual does not have to consist of waking up at 4am, going for a run and saving the world before breakfast. It can be as simple as not turning your phone on until you are 5 minutes away from leaving. Have a cup of tea alone before breakfast. Sit down to have breakfast! Do a short morning meditation to focus your mind. What would make a difference to your mornings? Make a change so that instead of lying in bed in Instagram before you get up, you use this time for yourself. For your benefit. To give yourself the best possible chance at having a simple and stress-free day.
Set goals. Keep yourself focused on your plans to simplify your life.
Goals help keep your mind and actions on track, making it difficult for you to get diverted off course by someone or something. Setting goals and checking in with them regularly is a great activity to include in your schedule. Why not set yourself three monthly goals? They don’t need to be big. Just something you want to achieve. Remember if you don’t manage to achieve it this month, it is okay to fail. It is good to fail. It helps us to learn and grow. Celebrate what you did manage to accomplish.
Organise your space.
Make your space work for you. Your home should be functional and support you in how you live life. It should be set up to make things as easy as possible for you. A place for everything means that you will find things easily, and you will keep on top of clutter because it will get in the way of your lifestyle. A great way to get started is to set aside a place for keys, mail and purses and handbags. That way you will never be searching for items you need when you leave the house, and you will deal with any mail quickly as it is in your eye line. Create your space to make life easier to live.
Use reusable bags.
There is enough clutter entering our lives and surrounding us without adding a continuous stream of plastic bags. Never mind the environmental impact, they are just plain clutter and something else for you to deal with. Another thing for you to make space for that is ever expanding. Why not change to reusable bags? You can keep one in your handbag, some in your car, one in your desk at work, some at home. They have their place and once you use them, you put them right back in that place until next time. No extra faffing about with the new ten plastic bags you brought home from today’s shopping. How simple does that sound?
Simplify your lAife by removing some commitments.
Have you signed up to do all the things? Perhaps you have agreed to too much because you don’t want to let people down? Have you said yes to things because you feel obligated? This is no way for you to be living. It will end up leading to overwhelm and burnout, and lots of guilt. It is okay to limit what you do in your day and your week. Your time is precious and important. You can still be a good friend, a good employee, a good partner, a good daughter, a good husband etc. AND have less commitments. This is all about boundaries and you learning that your time is valuable.
Decide on a weekly Most Important Thing.
To-do lists are great and something I highly recommend, but life happens and the to-do list can get pushed aside. This can be quite stressful and unsettling for some, but when I work with clients, my suggestion is to decide on a weekly (or daily) Most Important Thing. The thing that if you get nothing else done at all, you will celebrate that you got it done. This doesn’t have to be something big, it can be something small. The point is that you are gentle on yourself and accepting of life’s ebbs and flows when the to-do list goes out the window.
Minimise your beauty/grooming routine.
There is a LOT expected of us these days in how we look. Hair styled, beard shaped, body shaved, waxed, sugared, dipped in chocolate… (okay I jest, but you get the idea). My point here is that your beauty and grooming schedule should be just that: YOURS. Determined by you. Decided by you. If there is anything you are doing that you just think, “why?”, then maybe don’t do it. Unless it’s washing because that’s just a basic need (just felt the need to clarify that). I stopped straightening my hair and damn have I started to love my natural hair even with it’s little bit of frizz because it’s mine and that’s just what it looks like.
Schedule time for being.
Put 10-30 minutes each day in your diary to just be. To sit in silence, with no phone or distractions. To sit with your thoughts. This is your time to be still. Your mind and body need this stillness to catch-up with your pace. They need to process and carry out all those functions that happen without us even realising it. We must give them the space to do what they need to do to keep us at our best. Embrace just being.
Save regularly. Simplify your life and your finances.
The fear of the unexpected bill. The dread of the unanticipated car repairs. With so many people and families struggling to make ends meet, having savings can feel like a pipe dream. It doesn’t have to be. Because even if you manage to save £1/$1 that is £1/$1 that you didn’t have saved before. And that is brilliant. It all adds up and if you can keep it up on a monthly or weekly basis, you will soon have quite the lump sum for those nasty surprises that cause so much stress and anxiety.
Declutter.
Clutter is one of the causes of misery, distress and unhappiness. It creates incredible overwhelm and it can feel as though you are being crushed under the weight of it. Because it seems so huge, it’s hard to even know where to begin, so you avoid it, and so the spiral continues. Start with something small like a purse or a drawer. Don’t get tempted to keep going once you have finished this. Stop and celebrate your achievement. The you can decide whether to continue or not. It is this stopping to acknowledge and appreciate what you have done that will tackle the overwhelm and help you to move forward.
Use a diary and calendar.
Using a diary and calendar means that we don’t need to keep all of the information in our heads, because we have A LOT going on. It is inevitable that we will forget something. Writing it down on a diary or a calendar and checking that easy day, is a great way to ease some of our mental load and gives our brain a change to rest. Grab a diary and start relying on it to organise your tasks.
Plan your meals.
We live in the age of convenience food, and this is somewhat perpetuated by our fast-lane lifestyles. Inevitably if we are rushing around, taking the time to plan, shop for and prep our meals falls by the wayside because we are just too damn busy. What this means is we are more likely to phone for a takeaway or choose an option that is less nutritious (and more expensive). Planning your meals, all three meals and snacks, is a great way to make sure you have tasty and nourishing options at home, but it is also a way of giving yourself an easy life. Taking one day a week to plan and prep will save you so much time during the week when you are much busier with work, family and all of your commitments.
Reduce how often you wash your hair.
The ‘no poo’ movement is gaining traction and I can understand why. Hair products cost money. Even more importantly, how much time are we spending washing, drying and styling our hair on a daily basis. I switched to a natural shampoo bar in an effort to reduce waste, but it has also reduced the need to wash my hair to twice a week. The time I have saved has been incredible, not to mention the money! Why don’t you give it a try?
Establish an evening routine.
An evening routine sounds like the dream, right? Well, it can be your reality. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Your evening routine should aim to achieve two things: (1) get you ready for a good night’s sleep, and (2) set you up for your morning routine. Try doing one thing in the evening such as making your lunch, or turning your phone off two hours before bed (hint – buy an alarm clock). Trying to make sweeping changes usually sets us up for failure so by taking it step-by-step, you will have designed your new evening routine in no time. Here’s to a simple life!
Unsubscribe. Simplify your life and your day with a Aclear inbox.
How many emails drop into your inbox that you just don’t read? Hit the unsubscribe button! You do not need a barrage of virtual clutter hitting you every hour of every day. Whenever an unwanted email lands into your inbox, take a step to stop it from happening again. Create space in your virtual world.
Practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness is so much more than yoga mats and breathing techniques. It is a way of focusing the mind in the mundane and the everyday to bring you back to centre and back to earth. Do you ever feel your mind spiralling and all of a sudden you are about 3 miles into a stream of thoughts and you aren’t even sure how you got there? When we let our minds run wild, we are losing touch with the present. Practising mindfulness is a great way to live in a less complicated way because you are controlling your thoughts and what you are allo wing to enter your conscious mind.
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