33 Ways to Simplify Your Life

Are you feeling overwhelmed more often than not? I’m sharing 33 Ways to Simplify Your Life for more balance.

A big buzz word the last few years has been “Simplify”. I know that’s a goal a lot of us have. But how do we do it? How do you take back some of your life, create more hours in the day, make time to do what you enjoy most? Over the last few years I’ve been working at simplifying my life and trying to find the right balance of work and play, serving others and taking time for myself. I hope these ideas will also help you simplify and create a life you love.

Simplify Your Life

• Create a Morning Routine – Having a routine takes the guesswork out of what you’re going to do. Create a routine in the morning to start your day off right. Make sure to include time to get ready for the day plus a little time to prepare yourself mentally.
• Use a Planner – Whether you use an electronic planner or a paper planner it’s a good idea to record tasks and events for the days, weeks and months ahead.
• Limit Time on Social Media – Make it a goal to not look at any social media for at least the first hour of the day then limit your time throughout the day. Schedule specific social media times if you need to.
• Set Weekly and Monthly Goals – Set specific goals for the next few weeks and month to work towards. If you don’t write your goals down they are probably going to be forgotten and not reached.
• Say No More Often – You don’t have to do everything! I repeat, You Don’t Have to Do Everything! Don’t be afraid to say no if you’re overbooked, overwhelmed, or just don’t feel like you can take on one more thing right now. Saying no doesn’t mean you’ll never be available, just not right now.
• Set a Budget and Pay Off Debt – What better way to simplify than to limit your spending and pay off your bills? It’s such a weight off your shoulders and offers a feeling of freedom that’s sometimes hard to get. Financial Goals for Beginners

• Limit Time Watching TV – I’m all for mindless downtime but limiting your TV watching will give you more time for other pleasures.
• Prioritize Your Time – Schedule your day to give you a good balance of work, play, relaxation, and service. The times available in each area might vary daily but try to fit them all in everyday.
• Declutter Your Home – Getting rid of things you don’t need, want, or use is so freeing. It’s hard to relax and easy to be distracted if you’re overwhelmed by your surroundings. Make a goal to get rid of at least 10 things everyday until you have your space clutter free. Decluttering 101
• Give Yourself Down Time – Plan time for yourself daily. The time might vary but always make time to read, write a letter, listen to a podcast, meditate, or anything that helps you focus and center yourself.
• Spend Time in Nature – If you’re already spending time in nature add more time. If you’re not, it’s time to start. Breathe the fresh air, look up in the sky, smell the flowers, listen to the birds, take a walk.

• Pick Up a Hobby – What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t had the time? You might feel like starting a new hobby isn’t simplifying but it’s making time for something that will bring you joy.
• Decompress at the End of the Day – Take a few minutes in the evening to decompress. Meditate, pray, relax, do some yoga or stretches, or write a few thoughts in your journal.
• Meditate – Take a few minutes anytime you feel overwhelmed or just need a break. Breathe, count, relax, and clear your mind.
• Do Your Least Favorite Tasks First – Do you have a lot to get done and don’t know where to start? Do the hardest or least favorite task first. You will feel so relieved and accomplished once it’s completed. Daily Organizing Habits
• Ask for Help – Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I know it’s hard, but think of how many times you have been there for someone when they needed it.
• Automate What You Can – Pay bills on-line, grocery shop on-line, use your phone to control things in your home, etc.
• Use the 2 Minute Rule – If you can do something in less than 2 minutes do it now. You will be surprised how much time and effort it will save you.
• Create a Meal Plan – Meal planning has saved me so much time and money. I always know what I’m making for dinner, I have all the ingredients, and I’m not running to the store multiple times throughout the week. Meal Planning 101

• Plan the Night Before – Plan what you’re going to wear the next day, prepare lunch to take to work, prepare everything you will need in your bag for the next day and the kids backpacks. Evening Routine for a Productive Morning
• Do a Mind Dump – Is your mind going a mile a minute? Sometimes I can’t shut mine off. Writing everything down I’m thinking of or that’s worrying me helps me to relax and let it go. I can get back to it when I have time and then I can remove the things that really don’t matter or that I don’t have control over.
• Hire Out What You Can – Do you have the resources to hire a few responsibilities out? Then do it and don’t feel guilty about it. It might only be once a week or once a month but it’s a great way to take back a little time for other things.
• Let Some Things Go – Somethings really don’t matter and once you realize that it’s easy to let them go. Just because something was important once doesn’t mean it still is. What can you let go or give to someone else?
• Designate a Permanent Place for Things – Having a permanent place for everything is such a time saver and simplifies your life in so many ways. Make a space for everything and make sure everyone in the house knows where everything belongs.
• Don’t Overbook Yourself – Give yourself plenty of time between tasks throughout the day. You owe yourself a breather even if it’s only a couple minutes. Take time for lunch too (sometimes I forget to eat during the day).
• Unsubscribe – Are you receiving magazines, catalogs, and other brochures you don’t even look at? Save yourself time and money and unsubscribe. Also go through your email list and unsubscribe to those too.
• Set Alarms on Your Phone – Do you need reminders throughout the day? Don’t stress! Set alarms in the morning so you don’t stress about what needs to happen throughout the day.
• Listen to a Podcast – I like listening to podcasts that give me information, motivate me, and make me feel good about myself. I also like the occasional mystery. 
• Plan a Trip – Plan a weekend, week, or day trip. You don’t have to spend a lot of money but there’s something almost as relaxing about planning a little get-a-way as going on one.
• Start a Gratitude Journal – Somedays are just hard! But you can find something to be grateful for in everyday. My hardest days are the most important ones for me to write in my journal.
• Plan a No Spend Month – Other than gas and groceries plan to spend no money for a full month. It will really get you thinking about how much time and money you spend each month for things you don’t even need and are taking up space in your house. The best way to get rid of clutter is to stop bringing it in the house.
• Minimize Your Wardrobe – Cut your wardrobe down to things you really wear. Did you know you typically wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time? Simplify your wardrobe to save space, time, and money.
• Use Time Blocking – a lot of people think multi-tasking is a time saver, but actually doing one thing at a time saves you more time. Time blocking is basically setting a time limit and completing the task then moving on to the next thing.

What is you favorite way to simplify your life?

Pin it for Later: Simplify Your Life