How to Simplify Life

by WiredBerries Editors — October 10, 2007

There are many surprisingly simple ways to make life easier. Here's an easy one you can do right now. It only takes a few minutes, but it puts you instantly into the right mindset to start simplifying your life.

Take out an index card or piece of paper and make a short list of the 5 most important things in your life. What do you value most? Simplifying starts with these priorities. As you look over your list, try to identify things that are getting in the way of enjoying these things that really matter to you. For example, this may mean dropping "commitments" that you're not all that committed to. Is there something you do on a regular basis, like a team sport or board committee that you have started to dread going to. It really is OK to back out of commitments that you no longer enjoy or have the time for. The idea is to look at that list and realize that anything in life that is not contributing towards keeping you alive and allowing you to enjoy these 5 top priorities is probably something that you can do without, if you choose to.

Want to free up some time to enjoy what really matters to you, but don't know how? Here are a few simple ideas for carving out an extra 30 minutes a day:

• Get up a little earlier.
• Think of your favorite TV programs; if you watch more than one or two on a regular basis, consider cutting one or more out. It's fun watching other people's fictional lives on TV, but don't forget to have a real one.
• Take a nice walk during your lunch break. If you bring stuff you can munch on like granola bars and fruit, you've had a nice lunch and got your exercise in too.
• Let calls go to voicemail if it's not a high-priority call.
• Respond to your emails and voice messages only once or twice a day--the world won't shut down if you're not constantly at everyone's beck and call.