- Apr 15, 2023
- 4 min read

Ways to Simplify Your Life

By Luci Anya Fardo

We live in a complicated world today. We are always rushing around and trying to accomplish long lists of things we need to do. Things are different than they were a generation ago. We live in a highly technological world. This is a huge advantage for most people. It allows us to always be available. It allows people who live in more rural areas to be able to work from a distance. I said for many years that the internet would be the great leveling field. I'm glad I was correct in this, but that being said. The ability to connect any time from anywhere comes at a price. That price is your freedom to step away from a busy life and go home. It is harder to take a break from people and work. Today I want to talk about how to simplify our lives. Sometimes that is important for your peace of mind and inner peace. It does take a little work to get there, but you can make your life a little simpler.

Simplify your time. I know that there are things that we have to do every day. I also know that sometimes a person needs to stop expecting so much out of ourselves. I used to be the yes girl. I hated saying no to people. I would volunteer for so many projects and events that it was literally making my life miserable. It caused me to miss out on time with family and friends. I also neglected my mental health. I found out when I was about 45 that time waits for no one. I looked around and my kids had grown up, my husband had passed away in a truck accident, and I was alone. I thought about how much I missed out on with my family over the years. Don't do this. Develop healthy boundaries and learn to say no. It will get easier the more you do it and you will feel less guilty. Time is a valuable commodity and you have a limited amount on this earth. Treasure it!

Simplify your goals for yourself. You didn't misunderstand me here. I am all for setting goals and making plans. If you create too many goals than you will feel added stress to your already busy life. Narrow that down to a work goal, a health goal, and so on. Don't make so many goals that you can't create a plan to reach the ones that you already have set.

Go offline for a while. Not an extreme amount, but for at least an hour before bed. Turn the devices off and head outside. Enjoy the sunshine and take a short walk. Go to the library and get a physical book to read. I spend about an hour and a half each night before I go to sleep reading a book. I don't even use my devices in the bedroom. It allows me to step away from the outside world and just relax before bed.

Stop multi-taxing so much. Society shows people performing multiple tasks on television programs and commercials. This is can cause you to be more under even more stress. Multitasking can cause you to get less done . You have to also consider the quality of the work you are doing. If you are multitasking it can make the quality drop. This could cause you to have to repeat work. I am guilty of this as well.

Try to reduce the amount of debt you have. The debt we have is easy to mount up. That credit card that you meant to keep paid off. That car that you deserved after your last job promotion. We live in a society that throws the word "deserve" around like we are all gifts to the world. The world owes you nothing. Life is not fair. If you rack up debt than you will have a lot of stress in your life. That being said make a plan to pay off credit cards, loans, and any debt for something that doesn't appreciate in value.

Consider moving to a smaller house. This is a more extreme way to make life simple but it is something to consider. There are pros and cons to living in a large house. People that are my age should consider the idea of selling your current home and buying a smaller one. This will save money in mortgage payments, taxes and homeowner insurance.

Give away items that are cluttering up your house. I feel a huge sense of relief when I eliminate clutter. Too many things make it hard to find what you do have. It can also make your surroundings seem smaller. If you haven't worn some of your clothes in the last year. Give it away. If you have large items in the kitchen that you don't need than have a yard sale. Trust me when I say that too many things can cause stress that you don't even know you have.

Make self-care a priority. Don't try this but instead do this. Create a game plan. Exercise, take a walk, go for a drive, journal, or whatever makes you feel better mentally and physically. We often as parents and employees neglect ourselves. That is not a good thing. If you don't take care of yourself you won't be able to take care of the other people in your life. Doing this will help you mentally and physically.