The Advice is Always to Simplify Your Life to Make It Better, but what Does that Look Like?

There seems to be so much advice out there about simplifying your life to reduce stress or to achieve happiness, but what does that mean exactly?

I suppose it’s different for everyone, but no matter who you are it’s not an easy prospect.

Our lives are just so busy with work, family, social obligations, etc., etc.  Some of this busyness is our choice – we choose to sign the kids up for club sports that have lots of tournaments or we choose to take on multiple projects at one time.  But some of this busyness comes from just living in 2024.  You’d think with all the time saving devices we have today that life would be that much easier, but it still can be overwhelming.

I read the articles on how to simplify and find happiness.  I’m sure you do too.

There are so many recommendations. I’ve tried a few to share with you.

The purge

Some recommend purging your house on a regular basis.  Some say spend 30 minutes a day.  There is all sorts of advice out there on how to minimalize to simplify.

I spent weeks purging yearly this year and filled multiple boxes and bags with unwanted clothing and household items.  I literally went through every drawer and closet in my house.  It felt great, but frankly a little obsessive too.  But after the big clean out then come the piles and the difficult decision of what to do with the unwanted stuff.  More stress.  I used to joke that keeping up with cleaning out 4 kid’s rooms and clothes that didn’t fit anymore was a full-time job.  It’s not really a joke, because it’s actually very hard! 

I also make a great effort to be environmentally friendly and conscious and this means not throwing things away.  A choice I have made that definitely does make things more difficult.  After my big purge, I had to find homes for everything we were getting rid of whether it was picked up off of Freecycle or Facebook or was donated to the animal shelter or Purple Heart or taken to consignment.  This is of course the opposite of simple.   I do understand this.

Plus, after they picked up my 7 boxes and 5 large bags of items my son mentioned that the house doesn’t look any different!  Where was all of this stuff before the purge???   I should have glorious empty spaces and cabinets throughout the house, but he’s right, you can’t even tell! Why this is, is a question for the ages. 

Also, a month has gone by so it’s time to start again. No way I’m doing this for 30 minutes every day. 

I’ll report back if it ever simplifies my life.  So far no.

Mindfulness for simplicity

Other advice you see is to be present and mindful in order to simplify your life and really experience happiness and joy. 

This idea is so appealing.  Clearly it is to lots of other people too as you see yoga, chakras, and meditation information everywhere.  It’s become an industry of its own.  You can buy chakra jewelry and “yoga clothing” in mainstream stores these days.  But I don’t think many people would say that life has gotten simpler.

I just spent a long weekend at an ashram in Virginia purposely trying to slow my life down and simplify.  I mindfully ate my food in silence, walked for hours, read for hours, and spent time meditating.  My life was truly simplified, and it was lovely.  The people who live there seem so happy and carefree and they likely are, but unfortunately it is an artificial environment for most of us.  As soon as I got home, I had laundry to do and a week to plan.

I can tell you that I practice yoga and daily mediation and while I am most certainly calmer and able to better self-regulate it has not simplified my life.  I’ll keep trying.

Lists!

This is a recommendation I already follow.  I love lists and calendars.  I use both my phone and paper calendars to make lists and keep track of events.  I love crossing things off my to-do list.  The feeling of accomplishment and order is real.

The act of keeping lists does help tremendously with organization, which can make life easier and therefore simpler.  I will wholeheartedly buy into this recommendation.

Now I just need the rest of my family to contribute to the lists.

Learn to say no

I like this recommendation, but I also don’t like it and here’s why. 

I have been working on saying no as I have a great tendency to overextend myself.  Hence, why I volunteer for things at work, school, and even planning with friends.  Overextending yourself is bad.  Helping others is not.  So, there is a fine line here.  If everyone said no, that would be a huge problem.  There can be great joy and a sense of accomplishment in volunteering and helping others that although certainly not simplifying, can lead to happiness.

My plan has been to say to no to some things so I am not overextending myself, while still helping out and participating in organization when it feels right. It’s a work in progress.

The road to life simplification is not an easy one in 2024.  If it were, we would already all be there.  It is a continual process that takes work, which seems counterintuitive, but is real. 

I say try the recommendations, but if they don’t fit your life, ignore them.  There is stress in trying to fit other people’s goals or ideas into your life.

Maybe start with emptying that junk drawer this weekend.  Try meal planning for the week.  Work on daily meditation.  Find what works for you.

I’m going to make a to-do list now of things to try to simplify my life…or is that just complicating it?  You decide.