I started simplifying my life a few months ago, and as much as I'd like to be able to say that I saw wonderful results right away, I'd hate to be a liar. I started actually seeing results when I made it a habit to follow my own advice. Why did I decide to to embark on such a project? I like my things. Why would I want to get rid of my things?
Simplification has been the key to reducing stress in my life. It wasn't about getting rid of the things that I liked, it was about getting rid of the things that I didn't need. But that's only half of the simplification process. Once I started getting rid of physical things, the harder part was to start getting rid of the intangibles, the thoughts and habits that held my mind in negative captivity. But before I get ahead of myself, here's what I did, and what I recommend, for starting your journey towards a simpler, more relaxed life.
Caveat: These things will take you a while, and by no means is this list comprehensive. Be patient, and find out what works best for you. It will all be worth it.
1. Simplify your social media. Stress can come from feeling "overconnected". The first thing that I did was go through my Facebook page and delete unnecessary old photos. I had something like 80 albums on my Facebook -- some of which housed only 4 or 5 photos, with album titles like "Weekend in ____(insert city)!" I deleted a lot of the details that I provided in my "about me" section, including the extensive details about my education and my previous workplaces.
Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting that you delete everything about yourself on your Facebook. In a world where information is so easily accessible, I've found it so refreshing to keep some of the personal details about my life, personal. It's nice to have a conversation with someone and to actually learn something about them that I couldn't find out by looking at their Facebook. Decide what you can do without on your page, and enjoy the fact that not everyone on the internet knows everything about you.
2. On a similar note, download the "Self-Control" app for your computer. With it you can block yourself from certain sites, such as Facebook, for whatever period of time you set. Once it's set, there is no taking it back.
3. Clean your desk. Just do it. Take the time to just go through all of your desk drawers and commit to throwing away all of those unnecessary stickers, business cards, papers, birthday cards, broken pens, cords and chargers that belong to old or unknown technology, and anything else that has been in there for years. There isn't much else to add here. Take an hour of your time and just get it over with. You will feel so much better afterwards, I promise.
(If you're really feeling ambitious, I would recommend tackling your closet and garage too)
4. Turn off your phone. When you find yourself in a situation where you really shouldn't be interrupted -- church, business meetings, class -- just turn off your phone. Most things can wait an hour, and if they can't, you'll hear about it in some other way.
5. Make a list, prioritize, and stick to it. I find that I get really stressed when I have a long list of unfinished tasks at the end of the day. Make your list and tell yourself that you're going to get through it. If you're feeling especially distracted, refer to numbers 2 and 4.
Similarly, don't keep things piled up on your desk. If you don't plan on getting to them that day, put them in a drawer. Staring at unfinished work can be just as stressful as staring at an unfinished task list.
Again, this is just a starter list, but I promise that once you turn these things into habits, you'll see the stress in your life slowly disappear.
More on those pesky intangibles later :) In the meantime, what has helped you reduce the stress in your life? Have you tried any of my suggestions? Have more suggestions? Post below!
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