The First Steps of Simplifying Your Life

Many of us want to live simpler lives, but in the midst of our obligations, the way to doing so isn’t straightforward. While minimalism is a popular trend, it isn’t for everybody. Not only that, but you don’t have to become a minimalist to live a simpler life.

Simplifying your life isn’t just about removing clutter or living in a tiny home with few belongings. Any and every way you can simplify your life is an improvement.

With that in mind, let’s look at some easy ways to simplify your life without taking the full-blown minimalist approach.

Simplification at its most basic

The pathway to simplification is gaining an understanding of what’s important in your life. Take the following steps and ask yourself these questions:

1. What in my life is absolutely necessary?
2. Of those things that are absolutely necessary, which can be simplified or modified to help make my life easier or more comfortable?

The answer might be none, but then again, it’s worth it to make a close examination to see if improvements can be made.

3. After determining what’s absolutely necessary in your life, then you are left with everything else. From everything else you should be able to determine what may not be necessary, but is something you strongly desire, thus it is worth the hassle.
4. Everything else after that would be determined unnecessary – things you should be able to eliminate. Things that don’t make your life better, or that rob more time/money/energy/effort than they bring you in benefits – need to go.

Additional simplification

Focus on the important first:

Whatever you have to do whether it is a work-related task, home tasks, or any other obligations – always complete the most important things first. It’s too easy to become interrupted or distracted, allowing lesser important things to take time away from the important things – the ones that have consequences if not completed – it’s a common mistake. Prioritize your obligations, set up ways to block or minimize distractions, and learn to say no to avoid taking on more than necessary or allowing the needs of other people to prevent you from taking care of the important things in your life.