Transform Your Life by Living Simply

Living simply means different things to different people. It will vary according to your priorities, the type of family you have and many other factors. The concept for most people is to eliminate as many outside distractions as possible in order to make time for family, friends and activities that you enjoy doing. One should never assume that being able to transform your life is an easy process. Simple? Yes. Easy? No. Transformation is a process and a journey that takes you from a stressed and worried wreck to a peaceful and fulfilled life.

Determine what is important to you in your life. Making a written list of the top 5-10 things that you simply cannot do without in your life may help create a well-defined starting point for you. Keep your commitments in mind when making this list. You may not love to work but you love to eat and having a roof over your head. You may also want to consider a career change (link to Are you in the right career) if you are not happy with the type of work you do.

Start eliminating all of the excess. In order to simplify your life you have to rid yourself of all the extra stuff and activities. If you or your children love what they are doing then perhaps find a way to do less of the other things. Try cutting down to only 1-2 activities a week per family member.  If there are items in your home that you don’t absolutely love and/or use on a daily basis then consider getting rid of them. Clutter only breeds stress and discontent.

Find ways to reduce the amount of time spent on necessary but unloved tasks. Try to focus solely on the task at hand and not on attempting to do three things at one time. Performing work tasks can be completed more quickly if you focus on doing one thing at a time. Things such as housework can be broken up into small tasks for each family member and be completed faster. This allows for more time to spend time together.

Making room for less chaos and more quality is the true way to transform your life. The rewards of learning to simplify your life far outweigh the latest cellphone or the barrage of activities that every kid wants to participate in. You will become closer to your family and friends and actually know who your neighbors are. You will see promise in your weekends instead of the long to-do list. You will get up in the morning with joy instead of dread.