5 Ways to Simplify

Vincent van Gogh, Almond Blossom (1890) 

 

Leo Babauta writes about "5 Ways to Simplify Your Life"

1. Curate your day.  This process starts with identifying the things you want in your day, as if you were curating a small but thoughtful collection. What handful of things would make your day amazing? For me: meditation, reading, writing, calls with team & clients, time with loved ones, simple foods and movement. Whittle it down so your day isn’t overly full. Then start to let go of everything not on the list. Let go of social media and news sites and other distractions, if they don’t fit into your curated day. Let go of doing too much, leaving space so that the curated lovely activities feel spacious and not rushed.
2. Start living in fullscreen mode. My favorite way of going through my day is to do every activity in fullscreen mode. When I can remember. That means if I’m answering emails, I give myself full space to read and reply to each email instead of having a thousand tabs open. If I’m writing, I’m just writing. If I’m eating, I’m just eating. Fully be present for every activity, from brushing your teeth to washing a dish to reading a book.
3. Weekly clearing ritual.  Each week, you might consider a ritual where you clear everything out. Sunday is a good day for it, but so is Friday.  Spend a short time clearing out your various inboxes, getting them to zero. Clear out your desk and computer desktop/download folder. Get your todo list and calendar in good shape. Clear out clutter and papers.
4. Eat simple foods & move.  Make a list of simple foods you enjoy, and base your eating on these. Don’t be crazy strict about it, it’s about eating simply not being rigid. Move every day, throughout the day.
5. Slow down & enjoy quietude. You don’t need any material things in order to slow down. You just do less, and savor each activity. Take some breaths, and give yourself more space. Leave space between things, and enjoy that in between space. Notice when there are moments of quiet, and savor that as well. Create moments of quiet if needed.