You know those days when your to-do list is so long that it feels like a never-ending scroll? And you’re just not feeling up for tackling the pile of dishes in the sink or getting out of pyjamas all day? It’s time to take charge! And you can do that by following these simple living tips.
Stress can come from a variety of sources including work, school and relationships. It’s not always possible to eliminate all sources of stress in life, but you can make a conscious effort to reduce the amount and severity of stress that you’re exposed to on a daily basis.
One way to do this is through what’s called “simple living.” Simplifying our lives means avoiding anything that distracts us from what really matters. This could mean reducing your time on social media, curbing your impulse purchases, or cutting down on alcohol consumption. The goal is to reduce the amount of time your mind spends dwelling on things that don’t really matter and instead focus on living in harmony with nature.
Read also: Why More And More People Are Choosing To Live With Less
The more things you have going on at once, the higher your stress levels will likely be. Anyone who has tried to juggle multiple things at once knows how hard it can be to maintain a sense of composure throughout the day.
Focus all of your energy on eliminating one thing from your life each week until you find yourself completely stripped down and free from unnecessary clutter, both mentally and physically. You’ll feel relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on anything life throws your way!
Read also: 25 Ways To Make Life Easier For You & Your Family
Here are 21 simple tips that will help make life easier and less stressful
- Simple Living Tip #1 – Find simple pleasures
- Simple Living Tip #2 – Become aware of the stressors in your life
- Simple Living Tip #3 -Give minimalism a try
- Simple Living Tip #4 – Leave the house
- Simple Living Tip #5 – Create a schedule
- Simple Living Tip #6 – Break big tasks down into smaller ones
- Simple Living Tip #7 – Exercise regularly
- Simple Living Tip #8 – Keep your living space clean
- Simple Living Tip #9 – Eat healthy food
- Simple Living Tip #10 – Drink plenty of water
- Simple Living Tip #11 – Organise your closet
- Simple Living Tip #12 – Create a ‘To Do’ list
- Simple Living Tip #13 – Avoid multitasking
- Simple Living Tip #14 – Breathe
- Simple Living Tip #15 – Do things that make you happy
- Simple Living Tip #16 – Get enough sleep
- Simple Living Tip #17 – Practice being grateful every day
- Simple Living Tip #18 – Give back
- Simple Living Tip #19 – Meditate daily
- Simple Living Tip #20 – Take a day to do nothing
- Simple Living Tip #21 – Reduce screen time
- Conclusion
Simple Living Tip #1 – Find simple pleasures
Find simple pleasures in life and do them often. It can be small things like a walk or taking the time to sit quietly for just five minutes every day; but it is also big things like getting away on vacation, or even going on a bike ride with your child. The simple things give us pleasure and help us relax no matter what may be going on in our lives.
Read also: Don’t take life for granted: 15 ways to enjoy the simple things in life
Simple Living Tip #2 – Become aware of the stressors in your life
We mostly know that we are stressed when we feel tense physically, but many times stress shows up as negative thoughts about a situation rather than tension in our muscles. For example, if you are concerned about how much money you have to pay bills this month it might trigger a worry in your mind about not having enough. If you have this thought often, it can contribute to a feeling of stress. Become aware of the negative inner thoughts that stress you out and change them with simple positive statements such as ‘I am ok.’ or ‘This will work out for me.’ Replace all negative self-talk with simple positive statements and watch your stress lessen.
Read also: How Living a Simple Life in a Modern World Can Help You Find Happiness
Simple Living Tip #3 -Give minimalism a try
Minimalism is the practice of eliminating any and all excess. Minimalists believe that by having less, you will be happier because there is less for your mind to worry about and therefore more time for other things in life such as family, friendships, hobbies etc.
Minimalism is not only about minimal physical objects but also mindset; it’s important to surround yourself with items that make you happy or feel accomplished rather than those which just fill up space and weigh down on your mind like guilt over throwing something away or regret over buying it in the first place.
Read also: Minimalism For Beginners: 10 Tips To Kickstart Your Minimalist Life
Simple Living Tip #4 – Leave the house
That’s right, go out for a walk or enjoy some fresh air at lunch! Spending time outside is proven to reduce stress and make people happier overall. And don’t worry about work – it can wait until you get back.
If you work from home like me, it’s very easy to start burning out after too much time alone in front of the computer screen. A great countermeasure for that is to book a coworking space and go down there to get some fresh air, catch up on emails or just hang out with other people.
Working in an office environment has also been proven to reduce stress levels.
Simple Living Tip #5 – Create a schedule
While it is true that the only way to truly have a balanced life is to embrace simplicity and minimalism, it does not mean you need to give up all your favorite activities. Rather, you will be finding a nice balance between all aspects of your life which include work, rest, play and contribution.
However, this will only be possible with proper scheduling. The secret to a good schedule is balance. It is recommended that you have at least three hours of work time followed by two hours rest in which the mind can relax. You can further divide your days into five small blocks as you need them and schedule in activities for each day hour by hour, including sleep, exercise or chores around the house such as cleaning up, cooking and ironing.
Next comes contribution which means helping others through volunteer work either at school or within your community. This helps you learn more about other people’s lives while strengthening your bonds with others too weak to help themselves.
Lastly is playtime which should be well planned so it does not interfere with the rest and work portions of your day.
Read also: How I Use a Monthly Checklist to Organise My Life
Simple Living Tip #6 – Break big tasks down into smaller ones
When there are only so many hours in the day, it’s important to get every task done efficiently – which is why breaking bigger items up onto little individual steps will help maximize efficiency. It may take some time to compute how long each step should take (especially if this is new territory), but once it becomes second nature then sooner than later all those large jobs won’t seem daunting anymore
Simple Living Tip #7 – Exercise regularly
This acts as both mental therapy if life feels otherwise uncontrollable – which often helps better regulate stress and anxiety – as well as physical therapy that improves mood, sleep, and overall health.
Some examples of exercise that can help with stress and anxiety are walking, jogging, working out at the gym, Yoga or Pilates. Find a form you enjoy doing and stick to it!
Simple Living Tip #8 – Keep your living space clean
A cluttered environment can be overwhelming to the senses which is why it’s important to keep things tidy. Cleaning up after yourself will help fight any feelings of being overwhelmed with tasks or responsibilities. Plus this makes for a happier home life all around – whether you’re relaxing on the couch or cooking dinner in the kitchen.
Read also: 10 Unexpected Benefits of Having a Clean Home
Simple Living Tip #9 – Eat healthy food
Making better food choices will make you feel better both physically and emotionally (and combat chronic issues like high blood pressure). This doesn’t have to mean that you deprive yourself though; there are many wonderful recipes out there so getting excited about new dishes shouldn’t be difficult at all.
Simple Living Tip #10 – Drink plenty of water
This is another basic health and wellness tip for the body – but it’s also important to remember that our brains are mostly made up of water, so staying hydrated can help combat issues like headaches or difficulty concentrating. Remember, you should be drinking 8 glasses of water every day.
Simple Living Tip #11 – Organise your closet
Group your clothes into categories like “pants” or “tops,” and then fold each category neatly so that they are easy to find when you need them. Try not to stack items on top of one another, as this will make it harder for you to reach what’s at the bottom. Hang any coats in a place where they can be easily accessed anytime.
Read also: How To Be Ruthless When Decluttering Clothes: An Essential Guide
Simple Living Tip #12 – Create a ‘To Do’ list
Create a to do list for the day, so that you know exactly what needs to be done and can see at a glance if any tasks are unfinished or need more time. Write down everything on your agenda: from big projects of laundry or dishes to smaller ones like taking out the trash, watering plants, or even sending an email!
If it’s not on your “to do” list then it won’t get done…make sure all tasks have been accounted for before finishing up and heading out for the day! And when you’re finished with one task, don’t forget to cross it off your list (i.e., no matter how small). With this little trick in mind each evening should bring about some relief
Simple Living Tip #13 – Avoid multitasking
Do not try to do many things at once; it’s more stressful than doing them all separately because our brains can’t concentrate well when doing multiple things simultaneously. It is better to take care of everything in order from easiest/least difficult to hardest/most challenging first, then move onto another task with fresh energy. This will also prevent distractions while working on any given project or chore
Simple Living Tip #14 – Breathe
Take deep breaths throughout the day when you can – it will help to calm and clear your mind. When in an uncomfortable situation, try breathing deeply for a few seconds, or take three long slow breathes if needed.
Simple Living Tip #15 – Do things that make you happy
Make small changes so that your days are filled with smaller things which bring about joy.
The world is full of pain, misery and suffering and if we don’t take time out for ourselves, we will drown in it. By bringing more joy into our lives we can begin to be happy again as well as being able to help others around us who need love, care and attention.
Read also: A Simple Formula for Living a Meaningful & Happy Life
Whether it be cooking comfort food from scratch, reading a self improvement book or listening to soothing music, do something every day which will bring about joy. This way, stress can be reduced as we can see that there are other ways to feel fulfilled than being busy all the time.
Read also: 21 Simple living tips to reduce everyday stress
Simple Living Tip #16 – Get enough sleep
Try to have at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night so that you can wake up feeling refreshed the following morning. Getting plenty of natural light throughout the day will help with is.
The best way to make sure that you’re not going to be tempted by distractions is to turn off all of the screens in your room one to two hours before going to bed.
If you find it difficult to fall asleep, consider taking a bath before bed to help you relax and fall asleep faster..
Simple Living Tip #17 – Practice being grateful every day
Practice being grateful every day by giving thanks for all the many aspects of life that contribute to living a healthy life. Be thankful for things such as good food, shelter from the elements, education etc. which are not always considered but very important nonetheless.
Acknowledge your personal achievements – no matter how small they may seem to others. It can be easy to take all these things for granted but we shouldn’t forget about them because they are an important part of our lives.
The purpose of practicing ‘gratitude’ in ones life is to acknowledge the positive things that we have in our lives and to remind us about how lucky we are to even have these things.
Read also: How To Be Happy With What You Have: 7 Secret Steps
Simple Living Tip #18 – Give back
Give back in whichever way feels right for you; whether this means volunteering one day per week at an organisation such as a homeless shelter, or by donating monthly to a charity which is close to your heart. This will help relieve some of the stress caused from feeling helpless and wanting to do something about it but not knowing how.
Simple Living Tip #19 – Meditate daily
We may not always be able to meditate but try your best and make time when you can. It’s important to remember that even if it doesn’t seem like something we enjoy doing at first, meditation is actually very relaxing and helps bring out feelings of peace.
It’s one of the oldest forms of self-help therapy and has been used for thousands of years. It has proven great for anxiety relief, improved sleep, mood regulation, cognitive functioning, and even pain management.
Simple Living Tip #20 – Take a day to do nothing
It’s important for us to give ourselves a break from everything that we have been working towards each day so there’s no better time than now! This will help our brain work more efficiently while helping us feel less stressed.
I try to set aside a day each week where I intentionally don’t do anything and just rest. This helps my brain work more efficiently while also lowering my stress levels.
Read also: How to have a Self Care Day Without Spending a Fortune
Simple Living Tip #21 – Reduce screen time
My final simple living tip is to reduce screen time.
Our smartphones have become extensions of our bodies, both in terms of their functionality and usage. This has meant we spend more time slumped over our phones than ever before: playing games, checking social media, texting friends and browsing the web. And while this is often fun, it’s also noticeably bad for us.
Recent research has linked excessive smartphone use with mood disorders including depression and anxiety, as well as cognitive changes like deterioration of memory formation skills.
Read also: Why I’m Taking a More Minimalist Social Media Approach
So then – what can we do about it? And, perhaps more importantly: how can we replace our smartphone consumption with meaningful, life-affirming activity that doesn’t involve staring at a screen or reaching for our phones a million times an hour?.
Use smart-device timers: either set a scheduled timer or simply alarm yourself every thirty minutes to remind yourself to look away from your phone and ‘do something’ instead. This is more important than it might sound; many people find themselves spending hours scrolling through social media accounts before they’ve even realized it’s been an hour since their last check-in! Be proactive in combating smartphone addiction by setting regular reminders throughout the day.
Read also: Disconnect to Reconnect: The Significance of a Digital Detox
Conclusion
There’s no need to suffer from constant stress about what tomorrow holds, especially when we live our lives at such an alarmingly rapid pace nowadays with so many distractions vying for attention on any given moment.
A cluttered mind can lead to a cluttered lifestyle which can leave an individual feeling stressed, frazzled, out of focus and overwhelmed.
These are the best simple living tips to reduce everyday stress living in a world that is constantly moving too fast and running out of time.
What is the one simple living tip you’ll be taking away with you today? What are some other ways you’ve reduced the stress in your life? Let me know in the comments!
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