We’d like to think that life could always be one never ending jaunt, a series of good moments, forever a pleasurable experience. Alas, that’s not always the case. This year has shown us just how complicated life can be. The good news is that you don’t just have to accept that life is going to be messy; there are things you can do to regain some control. One of the best ways is to look at simplifying your life. You can’t control what happens out there in the world, but you can control what happens in your own world, at least to a much greater extent, anyway. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at some of the most effective ways to simplify your existence. Take the tips outlined below, and it won’t be long before life is looking a lot more straightforward.
Set Your Priorities
Your life is going to reflect what you prioritize. If there are no priorities, then it won’t be all that surprising if you get caught up in the rush of whatever is happening in the world. Chaos invades all the space that it can. Going with the flow is a good idea when everything seems rosy, but it’s not an attitude that you should adopt all the time; it’ll make you too susceptible to get knocked off course. Instead, think about what you really value in this world, and make sure that the things you care about are a part of your life. You can dip into other things, sure, but the main things will get top billing.
Simplify Your Space
Our surroundings have a huge impact on our state of mind. If you have a chaotic home, then your mind will be chaotic, and that’ll make it much more difficult to live simply. If you’ve been living in your property for more than a couple of years, then it’s probable that you have more items than you really need, and certainly more than you use. So why not look at having a clear out? This won’t just improve your living space, but it can also raise some much-needed funds, too. There’s a reason why minimalism has gained such traction in recent years!
Get Organized
We all have responsibilities in this life, and it’s true that, at times, it feels like we’re just a little overwhelmed by all that we have to do. While you can’t always limit the number of things you have to do, you can feel more in control of them all, just by taking some to get organized. It’s one of the simplest yet most effective things you can do. If you have a diary that tells you all you need to do, and when and where you need to do it, then you’ll avoid a problem that can cause you to spiral into complications: forgetting to do something. At that stage, you’ll always be playing catchup — and that will of course disrupt your flow.
Obligations and Desires
We have more options than we sometimes know what to do with. Well, perhaps not during 2020, but during normal times. If you’re one of those people that always says yes to things even though you’re not entirely sure that you want to, then it’s worthwhile looking at learning the art of saying no. You can’t say no to everything, but there’ll be more things than you might realize. You don’t have to go to a social event just because someone invited you. This approach is one of the best ways to regain your time, but there’s another advantage, too — it’ll push you towards doing things that you really want to do, and that will ultimately lead to a simpler and more fulfilling life.
The Essentials of Life
There are some things that we just have to do. Take eating, for example. While there are fast food options that can make the eating process straightforward, it’s not a long-term solution, purely because of how bad that food is for you. So if you want to live your best life, then you’ll need to cook your own food. Alas, that can be time-consuming, or at least it can be if you go into it without a smart approach. You can simplify the cooking process by picking easy to make meals, cleaning as you go, and making meals in bulk (great for leftovers the following day).
Streamline Where Possible
One of the best ways to make your life easier is to streamline the many tasks that we all have to take care of. For example, you’ll have bills to pay. Are they coming directly out of your bank account, or are you manually paying the bills each time? If it’s the latter, then work on automating the payments. You can take this approach with other areas of life, too, such as your prescriptions; rather than physically going to pick up your medication, you can use a service like the digital NHS pharmacy, and get them delivered directly to your door.
Money Matters
Everything could be going well in your life, but if you have money problems, then you’ll find it hard to enjoy things — and your life certainly won’t be simple. While it can take a little bit of time, it’s worthwhile working on getting a grip on your finances. A little bit of management can go a long way. If it’s been a while since you’ve conducted some money-related admin, then look at getting to work. Even thirty minutes spent looking at your incomings, outgoings, and common money mistakes can change the landscape of your financial situation immensely.
Social Media Detox
Here’s the thing about social media: it can be good. But the truth is that, on balance, it might not be as good for us as we thought. One of the problems is that the big social media sites worked too hard to get us hooked on their websites. As such, many of us find ourselves in a negative loop of social media channels. Studies have shown that spending too much time on these websites increases the likelihood of experiencing depression and anxiety, two things that do not form part of a simplified life. So take a look at taking a detox from these sites. It’ll feel weird for a couple of days, sure, but at some point, you’ll begin to feel a level of zen that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.
Exercise Times
If you want to be your healthiest, happiest best, then it’s important that you’re working up a sweat from time to time. To make sure that this is possible, you should endeavor to make your exercising as simple as can be.
It would help if you tried to establish a clear exercise regime to ensure that you keep momentum and ensure that you also attempt to prevent injuries to your body, especially your knees, as you can be prone to incur torn acl (anterior cruciate ligaments) damages.
This particular type of injury can result in complex surgery, immobilization, and ongoing issues with your anterior cruciate ligament, which may deteriorate progressively if the damage is not correctly treated.
The American Physical Therapy Association recommends the following exercises to improve strength, flexibility, and coordination, which may counteract any unsupported movement patterns that may be damaging your joints during physical activity.
Here are a few exercises ideas you can try to help you prevent injury and add strength to your Anterior Cruciate Ligaments (ACL):
- 90/90 Single Leg Balance.
- Heel Touches.
- Wall squats.
- Single-Leg Bridge.
- Lunge Step.
- Broad Jump.
You should also be mindful of your body’s needs and stop the exercise if you experience any type of pain. Make sure that you remember to eat a well-balanced, healthy diet and drink water regularly to stay hydrated.
Is your gym close to your home? Do you have an activity that you can do with minimal effort? Building exercise into your daily schedule, such as walking to work or using a 7-minute workout app on your break, will also bring benefits.
Look At How You’re Using Your Time
Finally, if you want to simplify your existence, then it’s important to take a look at how you’re currently spending your time. It could be that you’re able to greatly simplify your life just by realizing that you spend more time than you’d like doing something non-essential, such as watching television or browsing the web. Ultimately, if it feels like you’re always racing against the clock, and there’s never enough time in the day, then this approach will help you to wrestle back some of your time.
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