With so many of us living in a constant rat race of responsibilities and obligations, it probably feels like a challenge to find time to stop and smell the roses, let alone stay afloat. It doesn’t help that every time you swipe your way through social media, you’re being inundated with messages that perpetuate the “slay all day” and “hustle harder” mentality.

But that narrative needs to go. Workplace burnout is becoming increasingly more common, with over two-third of employees admitting that they have experienced burnout during their career. People are under constant pressure at work and home, and mental wellness is being sacrificed at the hands of productivity and keeping up with the times, the trends, or the Jones’.

Finding balance can sometimes feel like a difficult feat, but the best way to manage your social life, work life, financial life and home life is to simplify it.

Simplifying your life and your schedule will help you focus on what really matters and help clear some of the mental load, so you can slow down and enjoy the moment.

1. Take Time Off Social Media

People over the age of 25 are spending an average of 4 hours a day on social media, which is at least 3.5 more hours than you probably need to spend on there if you want to avoid procrastination, comparison, drama, the bombardment of information, among other things.

Although social media is a wonderful tool that can be a positive experience (especially for connecting,) it can also eat up valuable time and lead to procrastination and stress. Unplugging from apps or giving yourself a daily time allowance can be invaluable to your well-being.

2. Declutter Your Home

We’ve said it before, but we’ll reiterate it again: decluttering your home also declutters your mind. It’s science, look it up. 😉

Decluttering your home will help you think clearer, focus better, and stay on task. Not to mention, if you maintain a cleaning and organizational schedule and stick to it, you’ll only have to maintain it, which saves you time in the long run.

3. Be Present

It’s important now more than ever to take the time to enjoy the moment, and be present whenever you can. Shut off your phone and give your full attention to that event, person, or meeting, whether it’s a lunch date with a friend, or a kid’s soccer game. Being in the moment means that the calls, texts and notifications can wait.

Find moments throughout your day to just stop and embrace a few minutes of solitude or silence, whether it’s taking your lunch break at a nearby park, or getting up early and drinking a tea or coffee by yourself.

You could also try to set aside a few minutes a day to meditate, as regular meditation can train your brain to be more present.

4. Focus on The Things That Matter

To simplify your life, it is important to focus on the things that matter, and one way to do that is to start by eliminating the things that don’t matter. That might include things that are out of your control, the opinions of others, the things you feel obligated to do that steal your energy, and people or systems that aren’t adding value to your life.

Spend more time doing the things that set your soul on fire with the people who make your heart happy.

5. Stop Multitasking

I know it probably feels like you’re nailing that to-do list in a shorter period of time and being more productive when you’re handling 6 tasks at once, but I’m here to hit you with a hard truth: it’s having the opposite effect.

Yup, research shows that multitasking actually hinders your performance and efficiency because your brain only has the capacity to focus on one thing at a time.

You might get things done, but the outcome won’t be quick or effective, so you may as well focus on one thing at a time and have a better outcome.

6. When it Doubt, Delegate it Out

Sure, you might not all have the extra disposable income to hire people to do things for you, but if you can budget for a little help here and there, it will actually save you time and money in the long run.

Sometimes the time and energy it takes to do something ends up costing more than outsourcing it would. It could be a landscaping job, a large renovation project, or just a bi-weekly cleaning. You really can’t put a price tag on something that simplifies your life and gives you more time to enjoy the things that matter.

7. Use Calendars (and Reminders!)

One thing to keep you on task and to simplify your schedule, is to keep a virtual calendar and set reminders for everything from appointments, payments, to-do’s, etc.

I recommend using a hard copy calendar in addition to a virtual calendar, to ensure you always have a back-up as well as extra reminders! The older you get, the more reminders you need, am I right?

8. Just Say No

Part of adulting is learning how to set your boundaries and say no to things that you don’t have the time/energy/mental capacity or finances for.

You’ll learn what’s important and how to stop saying yes to things that drain you or that you simply can’t take on. Although you might not be able to bail on every event or function, you can learn which ones require your energy, and which ones are draining your energy.

9. Do More of What you Enjoy

It might seem like a no-brainer, but a great way to simplify your life is to spend more time doing things you enjoy. If you can’t find the time organically, it helps to pencil in a half hour a day for an activity or hobby that you enjoy, such as painting, blogging, working out, or going for a walk.

Scheduling time for things you enjoy will ensure that you’re in the habit regularly engaging in these activities, which alleviates the stress of not being able to find time for them. Doing things you enjoy is amazing for your well-being, overall happiness and stress relief.

10. Set up Automatic Payments

You can save time and simplify your life by setting up automatic payments for many of your regular bills and expenses. It’s one less thing to think about, and one more way to alleviate stress.

What are some methods you use to simplify your life? Let us know in the comments.


Written by: Stacey Wood