Simple can sometimes be a proven pathway to calmness and happiness, so I would like to share some habits that have helped me to live a simpler life.
I would advise just picking one of these and incorporating it into your lifestyle before tackling another.
Ready?
1) Breathe. It's impossible to overestimate the importance of proper breathing on your stress levels. Take a couple of minutes when facing a difficult challenge and practice deep breathing exercises to lower your heart rate and focus your thinking.
2) Focus on one challenge at a time. Multi-tasking is a wonderful gift but in times of mental and physical challenges it is far more efficient to tackle only one problem at a time.
3) Write it all down. When we are stressed our mind starts leaking information. You will be less likely, (and therefore less stressed) when you are not dropping projects and meeting deadlines. This especially applies to students who are usually learning to balance work, school and life as they navigate closer to adulthood.
4) Throw out the things you haven't used in 1 year. This doesn't apply to things like books, records, keepsakes, and mementos but it can be applied to other possessions. if you haven't used it in the past year consider giving it away to a a charity or friend. You will be forwarding kindness and relieving yourself of the stress that comes with maintaining your little used possessions.
5) Keep everything in its place. One of my wife's favorite sayings is, "Keep everything organized so you could find it in the dark." (Actually I believe this was her grandfather's saying but it's still good advice)
6) Gratefulness. If you start and end your day with an expression of thanksgiving, it will go a long way to framing your day in a more positive way.
7) Keep your workspace clean. The lessening of clutter contributes to a clearer mind and workflow of thinking and efficiency.
8) Eliminate the pull of social media. Using an app or whatever works for you start pulling back on the amount of times that you check on social media. Small steps are the key here. Don't get discouraged if your journey results in a mixture of steps and failures but remember that tenacity is your friend. The payoff of no longer being a slave to your devices is worth it, I promise.
9) Work first, play second. So much of our stress flows from our inability to separate out our work and play time. If you start each work day with clearly defined goals and objectives (See #3) then your playtime is free from guilt and stress. Tackle the most unpleasant tasks first, you will find your day goes much smoother with this habit.
10) Look for ways to encourage. Kindness is a gift that keeps on giving. Edifying words can transform relationships and reduce the stress that comes from constant conflict.
11) Recognize the futility of trying to please everyone. It is not only useless, but it is a trap that draws you closer with each occurrence. You have one person in this world to answer to and it is not another human being.
12) Think. Take some time during your day, silence your devices and just think. Most people don't ever take the time to slow down their life and actually give thought to what they are doing and where they are going. Don't be like the rest of the herd, Think!
13) Discard those people and things that are negative. Now I know that there are always scenarios that you cannot control or disconnect yourself from. But if the pattern of your life finds you constantly dealing with negativity then you need to deeply evaluate the cause and effect of your decisions. You are the only one who can control your attitude. You!
14) Laugh. Search out entertainment and people who bring you joy. Look for ways to inspire others and don't forget to laugh. This world is a tough place, don't make it darker than it really is.
15) Last, Plan out your week. Take some time on either the last day of your workweek or the night before and spend a few minutes thinking about your upcoming projects and objectives. Everything looks more manageable after you've written it down, got a good nights rest, and started fresh the next morning.
1) Breathe. It's impossible to overestimate the importance of proper breathing on your stress levels. Take a couple of minutes when facing a difficult challenge and practice deep breathing exercises to lower your heart rate and focus your thinking.
2) Focus on one challenge at a time. Multi-tasking is a wonderful gift but in times of mental and physical challenges it is far more efficient to tackle only one problem at a time.
3) Write it all down. When we are stressed our mind starts leaking information. You will be less likely, (and therefore less stressed) when you are not dropping projects and meeting deadlines. This especially applies to students who are usually learning to balance work, school and life as they navigate closer to adulthood.
4) Throw out the things you haven't used in 1 year. This doesn't apply to things like books, records, keepsakes, and mementos but it can be applied to other possessions. if you haven't used it in the past year consider giving it away to a a charity or friend. You will be forwarding kindness and relieving yourself of the stress that comes with maintaining your little used possessions.
5) Keep everything in its place. One of my wife's favorite sayings is, "Keep everything organized so you could find it in the dark." (Actually I believe this was her grandfather's saying but it's still good advice)
6) Gratefulness. If you start and end your day with an expression of thanksgiving, it will go a long way to framing your day in a more positive way.
7) Keep your workspace clean. The lessening of clutter contributes to a clearer mind and workflow of thinking and efficiency.
8) Eliminate the pull of social media. Using an app or whatever works for you start pulling back on the amount of times that you check on social media. Small steps are the key here. Don't get discouraged if your journey results in a mixture of steps and failures but remember that tenacity is your friend. The payoff of no longer being a slave to your devices is worth it, I promise.
9) Work first, play second. So much of our stress flows from our inability to separate out our work and play time. If you start each work day with clearly defined goals and objectives (See #3) then your playtime is free from guilt and stress. Tackle the most unpleasant tasks first, you will find your day goes much smoother with this habit.
10) Look for ways to encourage. Kindness is a gift that keeps on giving. Edifying words can transform relationships and reduce the stress that comes from constant conflict.
11) Recognize the futility of trying to please everyone. It is not only useless, but it is a trap that draws you closer with each occurrence. You have one person in this world to answer to and it is not another human being.
12) Think. Take some time during your day, silence your devices and just think. Most people don't ever take the time to slow down their life and actually give thought to what they are doing and where they are going. Don't be like the rest of the herd, Think!
13) Discard those people and things that are negative. Now I know that there are always scenarios that you cannot control or disconnect yourself from. But if the pattern of your life finds you constantly dealing with negativity then you need to deeply evaluate the cause and effect of your decisions. You are the only one who can control your attitude. You!
14) Laugh. Search out entertainment and people who bring you joy. Look for ways to inspire others and don't forget to laugh. This world is a tough place, don't make it darker than it really is.
15) Last, Plan out your week. Take some time on either the last day of your workweek or the night before and spend a few minutes thinking about your upcoming projects and objectives. Everything looks more manageable after you've written it down, got a good nights rest, and started fresh the next morning.
