Life isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Living an easy life does not happen automatically because life will not give you what you deserve but what you demand.
If you want to make this already complicated life easier for you, you’ve got to be intentional about it.
Why should you bother about making life easy for you?
Because life is precious!
Life is not a dress rehearsal. You’ve got only one life, and you won’t live forever.
So, you’ve got to make this one life count.
If you desire to simplify your life, you’re in the right place.
Below are 36 ways to simplify your life and make life easy for you:
36 Ways to Simplify Your Life
1. Have a to-do list
Making a to-do list either on a sticky note or on your phone will not only help you to keep track of your tasks and activities, but it’ll also serve as a reminder and motivation to get them done.
Forgetting things will only make life more complicated for you.
2. Have a home for everything
I’m not exactly an organised person so I understand the effect of not having a home for my stuff.
That’s why I’m trying as much as possible to put my house in order because order brings peace and sanity which makes life easy.
3. Wash dishes immediately after use and clean up as you cook
This prevents piling up of dishes which you could get lazy to do.
I’ve gotten into the habit of washing my dishes immediately I use them. I also clean up as I cook.
This helps to put my kitchen in order most of the times.
4. Unsubscribe from irrelevant emails
Getting an influx of emails makes me feel overwhelmed. I frequently unsubscribe from emails that are not important to me.
In this age where everyone is trying to build their email list, it’s so tempting to opt-in for every freebie from bloggers and internet entrepreneurs.
And some get so intrusive that they send emails almost every day.
If you want an easy life, become stingy with your email address to reduce the number of emails you get. Subscribe only to important ones.
5. Turn off notifications
I did this some minutes ago. I turned off some lock screen notifications and turned on just the important ones.
This is necessary if you want to make your life easy.
Turn off those notifications that aren’t important.
6. Use machines/equipment to accomplish tasks
This will reduce the time you’d have spent carrying out the tasks manually.
For instance, I use a food processor to chop vegetables, blender for blending, hand mixer for mixing, pressure cooker for cooking tough foods, an electric toothbrush for brushing, washing machine for clothes etc.
This makes life so much easy.
7. Stock the freezer/fridge with food
I can’t imagine cooking every day.
Cooking could be time-consuming. I cook in large quantities and store in the fridge/freezer.
If I have to cook anything, it’d be something quick and easy.
Spending too much time to cook every day isn’t going to give you the easy life you desire.
8. Buy foodstuffs/groceries in bulk
Shopping in bulk will reduce the time you spend in shops and stores.
9. Delete irrelevant apps
Go through your phone often and delete the apps you’re not using.
There’s no point keeping apps you don’t use on your phone.
10. Keep your circle small and tight
Too many friends = too many expectations and conflicts.
While you should get along and be friendly with everyone, be careful not to bring every Tom, Dick and Harry into your space.
Bringing everyone into your personal space will only make your life chaotic.
11. Forgive hurts and move on
You can’t have an easy life if you harbour bitterness in your heart against anyone.
We live in an imperfect world and we are bound to hurt each other. Not expecting to be hurt by others is simply unrealistic.
The peaceful thing to do is to let go and free your mind from every hurt.
Forgiveness is not something you do for others, it’s what you do for your peace of mind.
12. Forgive yourself
Sometimes, it’s easier to forgive others than to forgive ourselves.
This is a self-loathing thing to do.
You’re not perfect.
Always be willing to forgive yourself for any wrong thing you do.
13. Stay away from unnecessary arguments
An easy life will be far away from you if you get into every argument with anybody, including your spouse.
One of the ten things I stopped doing for a more peaceful life was sweating the small stuff, especially in my marriage.
Before, I used to take everything my husband said personally and I would spend days snubbing him.
I found it so draining, so I stopped.
I’ve learnt to ignore the not-so-important things and only pay attention to weightier things.
All I’m saying is to choose your battles wisely. Not everything deserves your attention.
14. Spend less time on social media
We are grateful for the gift of social media, however, spending too much time on the platforms will only make your life complicated especially if you’re not earning an income from your activities there.
The unproductivity, feelings of guilt, and jealousy that come from social media addiction will not make life easy for you.
I realise I enjoy life better when I don’t spend too much time on social media.
15. Ask for help
You must learn to seek help if you want to simplify your life.
Before you exhaust your energy on tasks, find out if you can get help and save yourself from unnecessary stress.
Even at home, learn to seek help from your spouse or anyone available.
Don’t try to do it all because you want to prove you’re a superwoman or superman.
Seek help for household chores, changing of diapers, fixing and serving meals etc.
If you’re faced with any difficult situation, think about anyone who can help you and contact them.
You’ll never know how easy life can be until you get help from the right person.
16. Delegate tasks
Similar to the previous point, learn to delegate tasks so you can focus on tasks that only you can perform.
Trying to do it all will only wear you out.
17. Declutter often
Get rid of the things you don’t need/use.
Give out the items you think are still good enough for others to use.
Decluttering creates more space in your home and even in your life thereby leading to more peace.
18. Make a budget and stick to it
One of the financial mistakes I regret making was not making a budget, spending money as it came.
This is a sure way to live a difficult life.
The benefits of budgeting cannot be overemphasised, chief of which is helping you to manage your finances.
19. Don’t buy things you don’t need
We (women) are usually fond of buying things we can do without simply because they appeal to our emotions.
Buying is first an emotional decision, which we often justify with logic.
It’s okay to pamper yourself once in a while and buy whatever your heart desires especially if you can afford it.
But to avoid falling into a financial pit and complicating your life, you need to develop the discipline of not buying stuff impulsively.
One of the ways to do this is to take a break before making a purchase especially if it’s something very expensive.
Ask yourself if you really need the thing. Take some time to think over it, do thorough research.
Take like a few days to two weeks before you make a final purchasing decision.
Never buy things at the heat of the moment.
I learnt this from Lois P. Frankel‘s NICE GIRLS DON’T GET RICH
20. Set alarms/reminders for appointments and events
This will save you from missing appointments/events or bothering your pretty head about the time of appointments/events.
21. Choose your outfit the night before
When I choose my outfit and my daughter’s the night before, our morning runs a little easier because I don’t turn the wardrobe upside down in search of what to wear.
22. Don’t take every comment and opinion personally
While writing this post, I read a very nasty comment a guy left under one of my blog posts.
So nasty, annoying, and silly that I didn’t approve it.
It could have ruined my day but I kept reminding myself that not everyone who has a phone is normal.
Also, why would I lose my joy because of what some faceless stranger said due to his ignorance and incivility?
While I understand that everyone cannot be your reader, I don’t expect even all my readers to agree with everything I write, however, they should be civil while airing their different opinion(s).
That’s why I put a disclaimer after each post. My post is not the law but an expression of my thoughts.
We can’t all see things from the same perspective because we don’t have the same religious, educational, and societal orientation.
This is my space, my world, and I won’t let myself be bullied by an ill-mannered stranger.
So, if you want to make your life easy, you have to develop a thick skin and not take everyone’s opinion seriously.
People will always say mean things about you, your looks, your career, your motives etc. Not everyone is wise and sensitive enough to know what to say and what not to say.
Always remember that you can’t control what others will say or do to you, you can only control your response/attitude.
Because life is 20% what happens to us and 80% how we respond to it.
23. Have a jotter/journal to document your ideas
The faintest pen is still stronger than the sharpest memory.
I have many jotters where I document blog post ideas that pop up in my head. This helps me never to run out of what to write on.
Whenever an idea pops up in your head, write it down immediately so you don’t forget.
I always keep a jotter in my bag, so I get to document my ideas no matter where I am.
24. Don’t loan out an amount you can’t forgo
People appear pitiful when they come to you for financial help but when it’s time to pay back, they become an entirely different person.
I’ve seen so much of this personally and even on TV shows. People end up in courts because debtors refuse to pay the money they owe.
To stay away from this kind of complication, don’t lend out an amount you can’t forgo.
25. Report symptoms early to prevent complications
Health is wealth. Everything will be at a standstill if your health is at stake.
To simplify your life, don’t wait until you develop complications before you see a doctor.
Report your symptoms early to get treated. Early detection is a prerequisite to successful treatment and recovery.
26. Get vaccinated
One of the things I regret not doing last year was getting myself and my family vaccinated against the flu at the start of winter.
I hate to remember the difficult times we went through because of this.
We’ll not make the same mistake this year.
Limit your vulnerability to infections by getting vaccinated.
27. Don’t give out your contact to every Tom, Dick and Harry
Don’t give your contact to anyone because they ask for it. Be sure you’d want to connect with the person before you release your contact to them.
28. Focus on your interests
There are so many things screaming for our attention today.
To simplify your life, limit your focus to things that matter to you.
You can’t watch every movie, read every book, enjoy every hobby, be present at every event, be on every social media platform, be a member of every Facebook group etc.
I used to be so active on Facebook and I’ve built a network of loyal followers but I’m more active on Pinterest now because that’s where I get 80% of my traffic from. Pinterest is more financially rewarding for me as a blogger.
You need to streamline your activities to things that are really important to you otherwise you’ll be overwhelmed.
29. Find happiness in little things
Don’t wait for big things to happen before you’re happy.
For instance, I find joy in my daughter’s laughter, so I play with her not only to make her happy but also to relish the sound of her laughter.
What are those little things that make you happy?
Good food, quality time with your loved one(s), watching the sun rise, gazing at the moon, listening to music, good food, reading novels, helping others, enjoying coffee alone, taking a leisurely stroll, swimming, visiting friends etc.
Whatever it is that makes you happy, no matter how little, enjoy it.
30. Have a routine
Having a routine helps to create order in your life especially when you have kids.
It’s okay to be flexible and ignore the routine sometimes but having a routine will simplify your life.
31. Don’t compare your life with anyone’s
Living your life in comparison with others is a recipe for a difficult life because you will never find fulfilment until you live your own life and focus on your journey.
You can’t be anyone and they can’t be you.
Social media has made living a life of comparison an easy to to do. You think everyone has it all figured out except you.
Focus on your life if you want to simplify your life.
32. Don’t compete with anyone
Comparison leads to competition.
Competing with others will only wear you out. Life is a personal race. Run your race.
33. Don’t take yourself too seriously
Learn to make fun of yourself. Don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s okay to flop at some things. Don’t take it to heart.
Being humorous is one good way to deal with life especially when things are hard.
I recently read Tiffany Haddish‘s The Last Black Unicorn, and to be honest, I wonder how someone could pass through so much in life without losing her mind!
Her secret? Humour!
Her ability to see the humour in situations helped her to deal with the hard blows life dealt on her.
34. Quit toxic relationships
You can’t simplify your life if you stay connected with people who add nothing but stress to your life.
No relationship should be more important than your peace of mind.
35. Practise gratitude
Attitude is everything. Living a life of gratitude will help you to focus on the bright side of life when things are tough.
What are you grateful for?
Think about them daily and be grateful for them.
36. Stay connected to your Creator
Man is a tripartite being; he’s a spirit that has a soul and lives inside a body.
These three components (spirit, soul and body) must be in a good state for balance to be achieved.
While you cater to your body and soul, don’t leave your spirit behind.
I hope these tips will help you to simplify your life and live a life that counts.
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