The majority of our decisions are actually quite small, but when you add them all up, they have a pretty big impact on our lives. We make decisions every day, more than we realize. These decisions, though small, have a big impact on our lives.
Many of us spend a lot of time doing things or making decisions that are not necessary, which wastes valuable time. I have found that simplifying my life leads to fewer decisions, less wasted time, and less stress. We all need less of those things!
There are 21 ways to make your life simpler and stop feeling overwhelmed.
1. PRIORITIZE YOUR TASK LIST AND DIVIDE IT UP
If you fill your to-do list to the point that 1.) you don’t know where to start, and 2.) you don’t want to start because it feels like too much, I can relate.
A common mistake people make with to-do lists is choosing items to work on based on what they feel like doing or what will be the easiest to complete.
It is important to prioritize the most important tasks when making a to-do list for the day. The top three items should be focused on.
You should complete your most important tasks first and not move on until they are done. You should also pick the next 2-3 most important tasks to complete and do those next.
Prioritizing your list is a quick way to simplify your life and reduce being overwhelmed.
2. TIME BLOCK
If you do not use time blocks to plan your day, stop what you are doing and open your Google calendar.
Time blocking is the most effective way to plan your day. I recommend using your Google calendar (iCal works too) to plan how you’re going to spend your day.
Bunching up related tasks and completing them in the same block of time is an effective way to plan your day. Focusing on one chunk of tasks at a time is the key to making this method work.
Additionally, you will have a more accurate view of how you are spending your time when you can see it in front of you. This eliminates aimlessly completing various tasks and feeling overwhelmed.
3. ADD BUFFER TIME IN YOUR CALENDAR
If you’re feeling stressed about everything you have to do, add some extra time to your schedule to act as a buffer.
Buffer time refers to the extra time added to your schedule in case you need it or feel overwhelmed.
If the thought of your workload is stressing you out, try to remember that you likely have some flexibility in when you can complete the tasks. And if you finish early, you can always take a break.
4. USE GOOGLE CALENDAR FOR PLANNING
You really can line up your whole life using Google calendar. It lets you set alarms for everything, from when to start getting ready for an event to when to leave the house. For people who find schedules help them worry less, this can be huge.
You can also use Google calendar to plan what to get done in each block of time, particularly helpful when you fine yourself trying to remember what your highest priorities were!
It’s very convenient and portable, making it easy to use, and you can always adjust on the go.
5. TRY MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES
If you haven’t tried one yet – the start of a new school year might be the time to treat yourself. When your schedule is already overwhelmed with new activities and routines that aren’t yet settled, taking the stress out of planning meals and shopping can really make a difference.
The services have become much better in recent years – better options for special diets and healthier ingredients elevate these services far above your average take-out.
6. SCHEDULE DOWN TIME
When you’re feeling stressed, check your calendar to see if you’ve scheduled any free time.
Although it may be easy to forget, it is important to set aside time during the week to relax. You can plan what you will do with this free time, whether it is socializing with friends, relaxing at home, or watching Netflix.
You can still maintain your regular schedule and allow yourself this time.
7. CHECK EMAIL WHEN YOU’RE LEAST PRODUCTIVE
Many of us will wake up, start the day, and get lost in our inboxes. If you’re most productive in the morning when your mind is fresh, don’t waste it by checking email.
Email is a mindless task that is better suited for the afternoon when you have already completed a lot of work.
Delaying checking email until noon may help you be more productive in the morning.
8. UTILIZE A CAPSULE WARDROBE
A capsule wardrobe with similar colors can simplify your life by reducing the amount of time you spend trying to pick out your clothes.
Bam. Problem solved.
9. ADD EMAILS TO A SPECIFIC TASK LIST FOR REPLYING
The Gmail app has a task list feature that not a lot of people know about. This feature allows you to add emails to a task list that you can access in Gmail and in the Gmail app on your phone. Having this feature can be helpful because it allows you to see all of the tasks you need to complete in one place.
Google tasks is a service that helps you manage your to-do list by creating a designated place to store email-related tasks. This way, you can sort through your tasks once or twice a week, instead of using your inbox as a to-do list.
10. READ THE LIFE CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP
The book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” is about Kon Mari’s method of living without clutter. It is a short read that is full of useful information.
Even if you aren’t one of the few who have followed her method to the letter, you can still find a lot of value in the way she stores things and her links to organization. It’s a quick read, so not a major commitment to get through.
You might find that you enjoy her process of going through belongings, touching and holding each item, and deciding if it brings happiness. Thinking about possessions this way can become a habit that you use each time you clean up.
11. DECLUTTER EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE
To make your life simpler, you need to spend some time decluttering every area of your life, including your home, work space, and online life.
This is an obvious one. Removing clutter saves you time spent looking for things, cleaning, and organizing. You also feel less stressed when your environment is clean.
Nothing feels better than a decluttered space.
12. ONLY BUY AND KEEP ITEMS THAT YOU TRULY LOVE
Before buying something, think about whether or not you really love it and can’t live without it. This will help you reduce the amount of stuff you accumulate.
A have a friend who makes it a habit never to buy something when she first sees it. She will even leave her wallet in the car when she is out shopping for non-essentials. You have to want something pretty badly to be willing to walk back to the car to get your wallet. It cuts down on a lot of buy-now-regret-later purchases.
13. MOVE FROM SCARCITY TO ABUNDANCE TO IMPROVE YOUR MINDSET
This can be a cycle that is tough to break. The goal of simplifying your life is to reduce stress, feelings of being overwhelmed, and the chaos of life. When you’re overwhelmed, your circumstances are dictating your thoughts. This can be a cycle that is tough to break.
To move from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance, you need to direct your thoughts and adjust your mindset.
Although your circumstances may be complex, you can simplify your life by focusing on your mindset. Your mind is powerful, so you can choose your thoughts and emotions.
14. ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU’RE THINKING
Understanding your thoughts is essential to reducing stress and feelings of being overwhelmed. An easy way to to do this is by spending 5-10 minutes each day writing down what you’re thinking. It can even be in a note on your phone.
The best way to understand your own thoughts is to write them down or type them out. This will help you to become more aware of your own mind. Writing things down is a powerful way to process your thoughts.
15. KEEP LESS PAPER
A huge burden lifted for me when I started reducing paper clutter by getting rid of papers I no longer need. Consider going through your paper files and clearing out the things you no longer need. You would be surprised how little in those mounds of paper are actually important.
Make sure you are signed up for email delivery of statements and tax forms for financial accounts, credit cards, and bills by going online.
You should only keep the papers you really need, as you can find any user guide online by Googling. There’s no need to clutter up your files with things you can easily look up.
16. DO WEEKLY BRAIN DUMPS
Doing a brain dump once a week is a great way to help you plan your week and deal with any stress in your life. It can be a very effective time to make a to-do list for the week and clear your mind.
Most of us feel better when w can see everything that is stressing us out and making your mind swirl around on paper in front of you.
17. FOCUS ON ONE MAJOR GOAL AT A TIME
When you have a big goal, it’s important to cut out anything that isn’t directly related to achieving that goal. Focus exclusively on one big goal at a time and go all in. Trying to achieve several goals at the same time can be overwhelming. You only have limited time each day, so it’s important to eliminate anything that isn’t related to the goal.
Focusing on one goal at a time will help you achieve more than if you spread your attention across multiple goals. Stay focused and you will see results, and feel good about the process.
18. PROGRESS > PERFECTION
After reading Jon Acuff’s book Finish, I realized that perfectionism and self-sabotage are the main reasons why we never actually complete the things we start.
Although we may not realize it, we are making progress even when it’s not perfect. For example, if our goal is to read one book per month and we listen to an audiobook instead of reading a physical book one month, that still counts towards our goal.
We set unrealistic standards for ourselves that we can never meet, which hinders our progress.
If you’re looking for a funny and insightful book on overcoming perfectionism, give Jon Acuff’s Finish. He does a great job of explaining what perfectionism is and offering useful suggestions for completing your goals.
19. PRACTICE SELF-CARE
If you take some time for yourself every week, it will help reduce your stress levels. Slow down, and do something you enjoy. This could be something like taking a bubble bath, reading a book, or watching some Netflix.
This week, schedule some time for self-care during your downtime. This is an easy way to simplify your life and relieve feelings of being overwhelmed.
20. REDUCE THE MINDLESS SCROLLING
Have you found that when you are feeling stressed, you try to escape by scroll through social media apps? Has that ever made you feel less stressed? Didn’t think so. For most of us, it increases anxiety, and adds to that vague feeling of ‘never good enough’.
Time spent looking at screens right before bedtime is wasted time that doesn’t lead to feeling less stressed. Give yourself at least a half hour of screen-free time before bed.
Taking a break from screens can be really tough, but it’s important to have some time where you’re not looking at one. Think about the rules you set for your kids. We limit kid’s screen time for the same reason we should limit our own.
Use your time to do something that will help you relax. For example, you could plan your day tomorrow, take a long hot shower, or spend time playing with your pet. Do something that makes you feel happy.
Leave a Reply