3 Ways to Simplify Your Life Today

Do You Need to Simplify Your Life?

With so much going on in our lives daily, it is easy to get overwhelmed. Work, school, caring for kids, parents, pets, finding time with friends…it can all be too much at times.

Is your life anything like that? Do you always seem to have more things to do than time in the day? You are not alone. And despite all of the technology that is supposed to make life easier and simpler for us, we are busier than ever.

So what is the answer?

We need to find ways to simplify our lives in order to take control of our time and prioritize what’s important. Simplifying our lives can help us focus on what matters, reduce our stress levels, and give us more time to spend with family and loved ones. It can also help us improve our mental and physical health, as well as our overall well-being. And we can ultimately be more productive, organized, and fulfilled.

So how can we simplify our lives?  Start with these 3 Things.

1. Delegate

Yes, delegate. Simply put, let others do it. I am not saying just give everything over to someone else to do.

• First off, you’d likely have resistance from others.
• Second, you will still need to do some things yourself. 

Here is an example of how to effectively delegate. Let’s say you have a list of jobs that need to be done around the house. Laundry, dishes, organizing a closet, lawn mowing, weed pulling, dog walking, etc.  Think about the others that live in your house.

Figure out which of these jobs others could likely do to your satisfaction (or at least good enough).  Assign them this job. Whether it is at work or home. Ex: Maybe your teenage son is a capable lawn mower or dog walker. Give him those jobs. Or your daughter can easily weed pull or do a couple of loads of laundry. Or if your finances allow, hire someone to do the jobs you don’t have time or energy to do.

Maybe your co-worker can make a phone call to your client or research the project. I realize there are some things you can’t delegate. But find places where you can and do so.   This will help to free up some of your time.

2. Organize Your Day

Make a schedule. Figure out if you want to do this daily, nightly or even weekly.  Try to plan your day in advance to accommodate everything you need to do. It’ll help you feel accomplished and keep you motivated to finish strong. This can work for your personal and professional life.

Organizing your day can be helpful in making sure you get everything done.

• Make a list of tasks that need to be done that day. Prioritize them in order of importance and urgency or time sensitivity.
• Block out time for each task and break it down into manageable chunks. This will help you stay on track and avoid procrastination.
• Take regular breaks if needed to keep you energized.
• Set reasonable goals each day and review your progress.
• At the end of the day or week, review and make adjustments as needed.

3. Learning to Say No

That’s right. No. Period. Saying NO can be a skill that for some, has to be honed. Oftentimes, we find it difficult to turn someone down when they ask us to do something for them. We may get asked to join a group, stay late at work, carpool kids to soccer practice, run errands for someone else, buy something the neighbor kid is selling or meet a friend for lunch when we already have a full schedule. 

It really is okay to say NO.  You don’t have to overschedule yourself. I am not saying to just cut everything out of your life, but you need to prioritize. Will meeting your friend for lunch be a positive thing for you overall? If this person is someone you enjoy hanging out with, the answer is likely yes. Will staying late at work for several nights be a good thing for you?

Sure, you’ll get extra cash and maybe stay on your boss’s good side, but will your boss then assume you will stay every time you are asked? Will it interfere with your family time? Maybe. So prioritize and say no when you can, if you need to.

Putting Yourself First Isn’t Selfish, It’s Self-Care

Being mindful of your time can help you to get back to basics.  You need to take care of your physical and emotional health before helping anyone else. I am not saying you should shirk your responsibilities, but just that you don’t have to be superwoman or superman.
Give yourself a break. The overall message is to prioritize. If you need a break, you can delegate, organize or just say no.