How To Simplify Your Life in 3 Easy Steps

Feeling worn down, burnt out, or stressed? Has the constant go-go-go mentality of the modern world finally caught up to you, and you need some “me” time?

If so, it might be time to take a step back, simplify your lifestyle, and re-focus on the things that truly matter to you.

In this post, I’ll outline an easy 3 step process you can use to simplify your life, starting right now.

Step 1: Take Time To Reduce Clutter

The first step towards simplifying your life begins with eliminating all of the unnecessary clutter that accumulates. I’m talking about all forms of clutter here, whether it takes up your home, your time, or your mental mindset.

For the physical clutter, one of the best things you can do is to take a few hours to reset and organize. When we’re busy, it’s easy to put simple things like organization on the back burner, and bit by bit a million items can accumulate, until cleaning out the clutter becomes an almost impossible task.

As Marie Kondo tells us, tidying up isn’t just about cleaning. Whether it’s cleaning out your closet to get rid of clothes you haven’t worn in a year, or getting some folders to clean-up that nasty pile of bills, simply re-ordering and getting organized is almost guaranteed to lift your spirits, and give you extra energy.

The same is true when it comes to how you spend your time. It’s easy to be pulled in different directions trying to please others or even just ‘get through’ the normal life-admin, chores, and other small tasks, so do whatever it takes to try to reduce any activities that don’t bring you joy and free up some more space to breathe. That could mean hiring a cleaner once in a while so you don’t spend your weekends vacuuming, or it could mean telling that colleague that no, you don’t really want to get drinks after work.

Whatever it is, even a little bit of space can go a long way to clearing your mind. When you learn how to let go of everything you don’t need to have or to do, you will find life becomes easier, virtually overnight.

Step 2: Clarify Your Real Goals

If you really want to simplify your life, the next step is to take some time to clarify your real goals. Set aside a day or a weekend to focus exclusively on this intention, and give yourself space to breathe.

As you step back from the hectic routine you’re accustomed to, you might realize that many of the activities that take up the most time aren’t truly aligned with your goals.

To sort out the important from the unimportant, ask yourself why you want to do the activity in question. Is it something that you think has inherent value, and truly brings you joy, or is it something you view simply as a means to something else?

More often than not, means goals can be a major time-suck, without actually providing a lot of help towards your bigger aim. Taking time out to question these activities can free up an immense amount of time in your routine moving forward, and give you the opportunity to eliminate excess activity.

For some, this may lead to an entirely new perspective on life, causing you to reevaluate your friends, your career, and where you live. For others, it’s simply a matter of re-focusing on what you already know is important, and learning to maintain that focus so you can live the life you truly want.

Step 3: Quiet Your Mind

The last step is the most difficult. While decreasing the clutter in your environment and prioritizing your goals can go a long way toward helping you live a simpler life, the fact is that each of those is only a symptom for the broader issue.

A chaotic life is almost always a symptom of a chaotic mind.

This means that while you can simplify your life by changing a few surface conditions, ultimately the extra space you created won’t last for long…unless you change your underlying mindset.

Understanding this point requires you to realize that – thanks to the Law of Vibration – we create our circumstances based on our consistent thought patterns. If you want to simplify your life in the long run, you’re going to need to change the mindset that led you to a hectic lifestyle to begin with.

Starting a meditation routine is one way you can quiet your mind, and we offer a free 30-Day Introduction to Meditation to help get you started.

You could also read this post on getting started with meditation in order to help you set the right expectations for your practice, and begin to develop the space you need.