Discover ways to make life more simple.
Here’s a radical thought when it comes to being healthy - simplify your life.
This goes against the grain of our “more-driven” society. Do more. Be more. Have more. Repeat. It’s an endless cycle that’s creating a lot of tired, overwhelmed, unhappy people.
I truly believe most of our society is living in a perpetual state of overwhelm. And it's become so normal we don't even notice it anymore.
So, I'm advocating for some different. A simpler life. Less quantity, more quality in all areas of your life.
If your life is like mine and many others, you've got a lot going on. Work. Volunteering. Social events. Being on social media. Taking care of family members. Trying to exercise/be healthy. Some sleep. Keeping the house clean and full of food. Laundry. Etc. It's a LOT. Heck, I'm getting tired thinking of all of it.
Not to mention all the choices we have. What to eat, what to wear, which shoes/jewelry/watch/purse. Too many choices leads to decision fatigue. Subconsciously our brain gets overwhelmed by all the little choices we “need” to make that the bigger decisions are harder to make.
Before you stress out just thinking about how it doesn’t feel possible to simplify your life, hear me out.
I'm NOT suggesting you cancel all your commitments and do nothing. I'm NOT suggesting to throw out 90%+ of your belongings.
I AM suggesting to take a look at the various aspects of your life and see what you can pare down so you reduce your options and schedule.
Here are some ways that I've simplified my life: (sharing as examples only, do what's best for you)
- I wear the same earrings, necklaces and bracelet every day. (I donated a bunch of jewelry that I wasn't wearing anymore).
- I'm continually trimming down my wardrobe. This one is taking time (as I like lots of colors and variety), but slowly I'm getting rid of what I don't wear often and keeping the basics. (If this one peaks your interest, check out this article on building a capsule wardrobe)
- I eat mostly the same food each day. I switch up the combinations a bit, for variety, but the bases are the same.
- I prep all my food on the weekend. The only thing I cook fresh daily are my morning eggs for breakfast. Everything else is heated in my toaster oven or eaten cold. [For guidance in how to eat better and stress less, check out my online course 6 Weeks to Hassle-Free Healthy Eating]
- I've stepped down from a volunteer position as chair of a committee.
- I workout at home, using a few pieces of equipment or sometimes just body weight.
- I've limited contact with people who drain and bring me down.
5 WAYS FOR YOU TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE
Again, this isn't an all or nothing practice. Look at the categories below (not in any order of importance) and choose 1-3 to work on right now. Keep the simplifying exercise simple :) Also, don't underestimate the impact decluttering your spaces can have on your mind and stress level.
1) REDUCE YOUR BELONGINGS
Rooms (including closets and drawers) - one room at a time, go through and give away or toss excess items.
Clothing / Jewelry / Shoes / Purses - if you never wear it, it doesn't fit, or you don't like it anymore, donate or toss.
Makeup and other Beauty Products - unless you are a make up artist, you likely don't need all the makeup you have. And chances are you don't wear most of it 90% of the time. Keep the basics and get rid of the rest.
2) BE SELECTIVE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU
Are you saying "yes" to too many social engagements? Are you being energized or bought down by the people you are hanging out with?
Evaluate who you spend time with and set boundaries for the ones who drain you.
3) REDUCE YOUR COMMITMENTS
How else are you spending your time? Take a monthly view of your calendar and write down every single commitment you have. Then list them in order of priority or categories of must-do and optional. Go through the low priority or optionals ones and see what you can remove.
Choose commitments that you want to do and for things/goals you care about. Give yourself permission to release feelings of obligation for the activities you really don't want to do.
4) FOOD PREP IN BULK
Set aside a few hours on the weekend to chop veggies and make a few meals. Making food in advance alleviates the stress of coming home to nothing to eat and also enables you to bring a healthy lunch to work. Food prep makes it easier for you to eat healthy because it’s already there for you and easy to grab.
5) ADOPT A “QUALITY OVER QUANTITY” MINDSET
Shift from the “more” mentality to a “quality” mindset. Aim for quality relationships and quality products (versus just more stuff). Appreciate what you already have without feeling “less than” for not having the latest things. Don’t buy into the notion that you have to do more to be more. Yes, we should strive to continually improve as human beings, but not at the cost of our health.
So, are you in?
I guarantee you will see benefits you don't even expect when you start to simply your life.
ps. If you need help making exercise simple, hiring me as your personal trainer makes it so much easier and more fun! I have a few openings for in-person (downtown Ottawa) and virtual (worldwide) clients. Email me if you're interested and we can chat about options.
Lydia Di Francesco is a Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of Fit & Healthy 365. Lydia’s passion is to educate the public that healthy living can be simple and fun! She promotes simple, fun exercise, self-care, and creating a healthy mindset with a long-term approach to wellness.