You need ways to simplify your life, I hear you – loud and clear.
The world is complicated enough. Agreed?
We all have a million things going on simultaneously and it’s easier, more than ever, to feel the overwhelm and stress taking over.
All the events, the meet-ups, the coffee to-go’s, the dates, the business meetings, the bills that need your attention, and all the FOMO’s you don’t want to have.
I feel you. It’s so taxing.
There is just too much going on. ALL THE TIME.
Since starting my own personal development journey, I completely changed the way I prioritized my to-do’s, what I said yes and no to, and more importantly, the FOMO’s totally vanished. I’m not sure if this has something to do with getting older – but boy am I glad it got easier.
I’m happier, more productive, feel like I am in more control and above all, I’m not on the verge of a burnout anymore.
I enjoy life a whole lot more and I’m spending my time on the things that matter the most to me.
The lifehacks I used to live a more simplistic life are listed below. Though this list may be long, I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed by it. Note that a simplistic life is different for everybody, so start with 1 or 2 ways that speak the loudest to you.
I can’t wait to see what simplifying your life will do for you!
Related Reads:
- How To Easily Organize Your Life For Success
- 8 Ways To A More Productive Morning
- Mindset Hacks That Will Change Your Life
- How To Get More Time In A Day To Achieve Your Goals
38 Ways To Simplify Your Life:
Here we go, girl. 38 ways to simplify your life coming at you…
1. Start with one goal
Write your bucket list, include ALL the things you want to achieve and then start with one.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the things we want to do in life and don’t get me started on New Year’s resolutions…
Set one main life goal, for now, break it down into actionable steps, set a deadline to achieve it and reference it daily.
Once you’ve achieved one goal, you’ll feel inspired to take on the next one on your list, and so forth.
2. Declutter your wardrobe
Get rid of clothes that you don’t use or no longer give you value.
The rule is that if you haven’t worn something for over 6 months – throw it out, sell it or give it away.
This would also be a good time for me to recommend you start a capsule wardrobe.
Only fill your closet with clothes that go with everything, never go out of style and are of neutral colors.
Fewer options mean money and time saved (usually spent figuring out what to wear in the morning).
3. Journal
Spend 5-10 minutes journaling every day.
Journal about your day, dreams, things you want to do, practice gratitude or write down your daily affirmations.
Journaling is also a great way to organize all the million thoughts swarming around in your mind on a daily basis.
Get it all out on paper and free your mind from the chaos.
I absolutely love the Five Minute Journal for this – it helps set my day off on a more intentional and happy note.
4. Limit social media use
Studies show that people spend, on average, over 2 hours on social media a day.
This is an insane waste of time – time that could have been spent elsewhere – for example on working on your goal.
Try and limit your social media use and download, Social Fever, an app that’ll help you on your recovery from social media addiction (it actually blocks certain SoMe apps at certain times during the day, so you can focus and get to work on things that matter).
Tip: turn off all the notifications on your phone.
5. Watch less TV
… including Netflix.
Binging a good TV show (like FRIENDS) is awesome, but it’s also such a waste of time and steals your focus.
Implement a rule that you only watch TV for a certain time every day.
For example –
- Allow yourself (and your fam) to watch the evening news and ONE episode of Game of Thrones (one episode).
- The TV goes off at 8 PM and stays off.
Remember to spend your time living your life and not on your couch watching someone else’s.
6. Say no to things you don’t want to do
This is something I have struggled with a lot personally.
I used to be such a people pleaser. I would say yes to things I didn’t really want to do, go to events I didn’t want to go to and do favors that did me no favor.
It was exhausting and it left me totally drained.
My schedule was overcrowded and my life was overcommitted.
Practice saying no more, and say it once daily to get in the habit.
Don’t feel bad about it (this takes time, but practice will get you there).
Ask yourself the following questions when proposed with a task –
- Will it add value to my life?
- Is it something that I will genuinely enjoy?
- Will it change my or someone else’s life for the better?
If the answer is no to most of these, let the task go and focus on what you really want to do in life.
7. Only say yes to things that are a “HECK YES!”
Only say yes to things that are a “HECK YES!”
This will work with general purchases, agreements and everything in your life.
Spend your time doing what you love.
If you feel you need to do something out of obligation, answer the questions in #6 first.
8. Rid yourself of toxic relationships
If you have people in your life who constantly bring you down, make you feel bad about yourself and turn your good vibes into a bad, it’s time to say your goodbyes.
9. Fill your life with people who make you feel good
Think quality over quantity when it comes to the people you have and bring into your life.
10. Unfollow
Unfollow people on social media that don’t make you feel good about yourself.
Only follow people who inspire and motivate you.
Go through your list and delete anyone who puts you down.
We want an amazing and uplifting feed, people!
11. One thing at a time
Do me a favor and don’t multitask.
Take action on one thing at a time to avoid any unnecessary stress and overwhelm.
Go head to head with one task, then move onto the next and so on.
I hate to break it to you, we can’t do it all at once.
12. Prioritize your to-do list
Prioritize your to-do list in order of importance and start with the hardest task first.
Don’t overload your list with tasks, and stick to the 1-2 important to-dos for the day.
13. Invest in a GOOD planner
My number one recommendation is the Productivity Planner.
It’s so easy to plan out your days and weeks, prioritizing those to-do’s and it will help you to stick to your schedule.
Hop on over to read my very honest review about it here.
Plus, it’s really pretty.
14. Unfollow people on Facebook
Unfollow your friends on Facebook that you wouldn’t say hi to on the streets or don’t remember why you’re friends with.
You don’t necessarily have to delete them (you could if you want), but tap the “unfollow” button instead to avoid seeing them in your feed.
15. Newsfeed eradicator
Better yet, download the Newsfeed Eradicator for Facebook.
It’s a Google Chrome extension that completely removes your newsfeed on Facebook.
This was a gamechanger for me.
Instead of seeing the neverending flow of statuses, all that is left in your Facebook feed is an inspiring quote.
Love it!
16. Design a simple morning routine
Design a simple morning routine that works for your schedule.
To avoid any run-for-the-bus situations, wake up one hour earlier than you usually do and make time for a good breakfast, journaling, exercising or you could even make time for your goals in the morning.
The AM is when we tend to be at our most productive and creative – take advantage of this time.
17. No email before noon
Stay away from your inbox until a given time.
If noon works for you – great! If not, pick a time that works for your schedule.
The point is to keep out of your inbox before you absolutely have to be in it.
Don’t check your email or social media first thing in the morning.
No one needs your attention before you’ve even had your morning coffee.
18. Set reminders!
Set reminders on your phone so you never forget an appointment or a task.
The reminders app on the iPhone is great, or Google calendar.
19. Live, act and breathe like a minimalist
Get rid of material things that don’t have emotional or useful value to you.
Living more like a minimalist is one of the great ways to simplify your life.
20. Unsubscribe from unwanted emails
How many blogs have you subscribed to in the last year? I’m guilty of this too – about 100.
Fill your inbox with people who motivate and inspire you, and unsubscribe from any unwanted emails.
If you really want to clean up your inbox, you could consider signing up for a brand new email address.
21. Listen to audiobooks and podcasts daily
Learn something new, let them inspire you or disappear deep into a fictional world.
This is a great use of your time spent commuting, doing laundry, cleaning the house or working out.
I’ve listed my favorite personal development podcasts in this article.
22. Practice having a more positive mindset
Don’t waste your time with being negative or moody. Stay positive, girl.
Start your day by practicing having a more positive mindset and ask yourself supportive questions like –
- How can I love more today?
- How can I be happy today?
- What can I do to move closer to my dream life today?
Learn how you can master your mindset with my favorite mindset hacks, here.
23. Stay organized
Be more organized in all areas of your life.
When you use something, put it back.
Have a place for everything.
Read my post on how you can organize your life for success here.
24. Automate the things you can
Automation is such a time-saver!
Automate anything you can.
This could be your bills, social media posts, and other tasks in your business or at work.
25. Self-care goes a long way
Implement self-care into your morning and/or evening routine.
You need that alone time to rest and recharge.
Carve out 15 minutes to pamper your mind, soul, and body every day.
Here are some great self-care ideas to get you started.
26. Calendar block
Block out your calendar with tasks set for a specific time period.
This helps keep you accountable and on track.
Stick to the deadline and honor your commitment.
You can get a blog post done in either one hour or two days. It’s up to you π
Calendar blocking will for sure help to simplify your life.
27. Write it all down
If you’re like me, ideas have a tendency of turning up at the most unfitting times – when I’m at the gym, out for a walk or with a friend.
Make sure you have a good notetaking app on your phone so you can make a note of every brilliant idea that comes to you, no matter where you are.
I love Evernote – you can also sync it to your computer.
28. Slow down
Make the time to slow down.
In this busy world, it’s easy to get caught up and a lot harder to come down and take a breather.
Learn to be more present.
Meditate and yoga are great practices for whining down and being more mindful.
Sitting in silence for just 10 minutes a day goes a long way.
29. Marie Kondo your life (and home)
Marie Kondo has recently been turning the whole world upside down (in a good and organized way of course).
She is the guru of decluttering and getting your life organized.
Read her amazing book – The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up.
I highly, HIGHLY recommend it.
30. Meal prep
Ah, this is such a classic lifehack, but such an important one.
Buy in bulks and prep the meals you can in advance.
Plan out your meals for the entire week to give yourself a little breathing room in the kitchen.
31. Pay bills on time
…and refill any credit card debt you have.
If possible, change your payment plan to annually or semi-annually to make the number of monthly bills a little lighter.
32. Close those tabs, girl
If you have too many tabs open at once, it will steal your focus and productivity.
Only open tabs that are relevant to your current task.
Declutter that browser of yours.
If you must have something up, press Command + N to open a new window and put the must-have-open-tabs out of sight.
33. What matters most to you?
Find out what matters most to you and make it a priority in your life.
- Have you been wanting to start a side hustle?
- Start a new hobby?
- Maybe you’ve been toying with the idea of starting a blog? (if this is the case, head on over to my easy-to-follow tutorial for beginners)
Whatever matters most to you, find the time for it (mornings are great), and take action every day.
Eliminate commitments and things that do not align with your dream life.
34. Review your habits
Do your current habits align with the life you want to create? If not, change it up.
Give up bad habits that take a toll on your mental health and that don’t serve you in any way.
Use a habit tracker to track your progress.
35. Donate
Donate items (furniture, clothes, toys) you no longer use, or if your financials allow it – donate to a charity you believe in.
36. More experiences, fewer things
This goes hand in hand with living the minimalist lifestyle. Focus more on experiences rather than things.
- Is there a trip you’ve been dreaming about?
- A concert you want to go to?
- A friend you’ve been meaning to meet up with?
Fill your life with meaningful experiences instead of shopping for even more “things”.
37. Don’t sweat the small stuff
We tend to overthink the small things, that we more often than not, have no control over.
Ask yourself –
- Will this matter in 5 years?
- Am I going to care that I did XYZ tomorrow or next week?
- If I zoom out on the planet – will this make a difference?
- Will I regret this in one year?
Do yourself a favor and don’t sweat the small stuff.
Let the little things go.
38. It’s ok!
Know that it’s okay to not have everything under control all the time.
Give yourself some space and allow yourself to mess up, have bad days and be ok with doing nothing.
This life ain’t perfect.
Simplify where you can and go from there.
Before You Go
I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of ways to simplify your life. Let me know in the comments below if there is something missing from this list or if you have something to add! I would love to hear your input.
Simple is key to a happier life π
Before I forget – if youβd like to join over 86.000 monthly readers and get the inside scoop on everything goal setting and personal development, be sure to sign up to be a part of the dreamer community below. Iβd love to have you on board.
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