You may be feeling overwhelmed and stressed by the ‘noise’ in your life. You might be looking to improve your mental and emotional well-being to deal with this busy world. Simple changes to your habits can help with this.
I’ve tried the following. I find they work. They help me get organized and regain a sense of balance. I’m sharing them hoping you find value in using them.
As you achieve each or any, ‘tick it off’ and give yourself a reward to acknowledge you’ve started the journey to simplify your life.
Decluttered your home and workspace
Having less physical clutter to deal with, frees up your mental space to focus on the things that matter most to you, whether that’s work, family, or hobbies.
Decluttering and organising your physical space helps clear away a sense of chaos or overwhelm spilling over into other areas of your life.
Tip: See my article on what to do with sentimental items when it comes to decluttering.
☐ You’ve reduced clutter and organised your space
Created a budget and stuck to it
Creating a budget and sticking to it can help you achieve a sense of financial stability and control.
Having a clear sense of your income and expenses helps you to plan and budget, which in turn will help you avoid financial stress and anxiety.
It also helps you achieve your long-term goals. This can provide a sense of peace of mind and allow you to focus on other areas of your life, such as your relationships, career, and personal growth.
☐ You’ve created a budget and have started adhering to it
Simplified your wardrobe
By simplifying your wardrobe (perhaps creating a capsule wardrobe), you can eliminate decision fatigue and create a sense of ease and simplicity in your daily routine.
Having too many garments and accessories can overwhelm you when it comes to deciding what to wear that day.
Simplifying your wardrobe can create a sense of order and organization in your life. When you have a smaller, curated wardrobe, it is easier to keep track of your clothing and accessories.
This can help you feel more in control of your possessions and reduce the stress that comes with clutter and disorganization.
☐ You’ve simplified your outfits to ease decision fatigue
Started a morning routine
Starting the day with a consistent routine can help reduce stress and anxiety and allow you to start the day with a clear and focused mind.
A simple morning routine to achieve balance in your life might look something like this:
- Wake up at a regular time: Try to wake up at the same time each day to establish a consistent routine and set your body clock.
- Stretch or exercise: Even just a few minutes of stretching or light exercise can help wake up your body and get your blood flowing.
- Meditate or practice mindfulness: Take a few minutes to clear your mind and focus on your breath. This can help reduce stress and anxiety and set a positive tone for the day. (I’ve written some practical tips to help.)
- Eat a healthy breakfast: Choose a nutritious breakfast that will provide you with energy and sustenance for the day ahead. This could be something as simple as a piece of fruit or a bowl of oatmeal.
By incorporating simple steps into your morning routine, you can set a positive tone for the day ahead and create a sense of balance and harmony in your life.
☐ You have a morning ritual that readies you for your day ahead
Reduced your social media usage
By reducing your social media usage, you can create more mental space to focus on other areas of your life that are important to you, such as your relationships, hobbies, or career.
(You might be interested: I wrote an article with some tips to help kick the habit.)
You can also reduce the amount of time you spend comparing yourself to others, which can be a major source of stress and anxiety. Instead, you focus on your own goals and priorities and work towards achieving them at your own pace.
Reducing your social media usage doesn’t mean cutting it out of your life completely. Rather, it means being mindful of the amount of time you spend on social media and setting boundaries around your usage.
☐ You have reduced your usage of social media
Unsubscribed from unnecessary email newsletters
Email overload can be a major source of stress and anxiety, as it can create a sense of overwhelm and distract you from more important tasks or priorities.
By unsubscribing from unnecessary email newsletters, you can feel more in control of your digital life and reduce the stress that comes with a cluttered inbox.
It can also help you save time and mental energy that can be better spent on other areas of your life.
☐ You have reduced the unnecessary email load in your inbox
Created a meal plan and grocery list
Creating a meal plan and grocery list can help reduce the stress and chaos that can come with last-minute meal decisions and grocery store trips.
Having a meal plan and grocery list can save you time and mental energy.
By creating a meal plan, you can make sure you are eating nutritious and balanced meals that support your well-being.
This can help you feel more energized and focused throughout the day, allowing you to approach other areas of your life with greater clarity and purpose.
It can also help you save money. By planning your meals in advance and buying only what you need, you can avoid unnecessary purchases and reduce food waste.
This can help you feel more in control of your finances and reduce the stress that comes with overspending.
☐ You create and use meal plans and grocery lists
Started a regular exercise routine
Regular exercise has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and increase energy levels.
In addition to the physical and mental benefits of exercise, starting a regular exercise routine can also help you establish a sense of routine and discipline in your life.
This can help you stay focused on your goals and priorities and reduce the stress that comes with uncertainty and disorganization.
By achieving fitness goals and pushing yourself to new levels of physical fitness, you can build self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment that can translate into other areas of your life, such as your career or relationships.
☐ You have a regular exercise routine
Learned to say “no” to commitments that don’t align with your priorities
By learning to say “no” to commitments that don’t align with your priorities, you create more mental space and time to focus on the things that truly matter to you.
Learning to say “no” can also help you establish healthy boundaries in your personal and professional life.
☐ You can say ‘no’ to things that don’t align with your priorities
Set boundaries with toxic people in your life
Setting clear boundaries around what you will and won’t tolerate from others promotes a sense of empowerment.
This can help you feel more in control of your life and reduce the negative impact that toxic people can have on your mental and emotional well-being.
Overall, setting boundaries with toxic people can help you achieve a sense of balance and harmony in your life by protecting your mental and emotional health, establishing a sense of control and agency, and allowing you to focus on the things that matter most to you.
☐ You set clear boundaries of what you will and won’t tolerate
Created a Home Chores schedule
Creating a schedule allows for a sense of control and predictability in daily life.
A schedule can also help ensure that tasks are distributed evenly over time, reducing that overwhelming feeling of having to tackle everything at once.
Knowing that cleaning is being taken care of on a regular basis can free up mental space for other important tasks and activities.
As well, living in a clean and organized space can contribute to a sense of calm and well-being, promoting a more harmonious home environment.
☐ You have a schedule for doing the chores around the home
Reduced your possessions to only what you need and use
Reducing your possessions can lead to a greater sense of calm and clarity in your mind. It can help you be more mindful of your consumption habits and reduce waste.
By focusing on what is truly important and necessary, you can free up time and resources to devote to other areas of your life.
Ultimately, living with fewer possessions can help you live a more intentional and fulfilling life.
☐ You have lessened material possessions to only that necessary
Started a gratitude journal
Starting a gratitude journal can help you achieve balance and harmony in your life for several reasons.
- It encourages you to focus on the positive aspects of your life and appreciate what you have rather than what you lack.
- It helps you cultivate a sense of mindfulness and present-moment awareness, which can reduce stress and anxiety.
- It promotes a sense of self-reflection and personal growth as you reflect on what you are grateful for and why.
- It can improve your relationships as you become more aware of the positive aspects of those around you.
- It can serve as a reminder to practice gratitude regularly, which can have lasting effects on your overall well-being.
☐ You practise writing at least three things you are grateful for each day as part of your morning or evening routine
Automated bill payments and other routine tasks
Automating bill payments and other routine tasks can save time and reduce stress.
By setting up automatic payments, you won’t have to worry about missing a due date or incurring late fees.
Also, automating routine tasks, such as scheduling social media posts or sending recurring emails, can free up more time for important tasks and increase productivity.
Overall, automating tasks can improve efficiency and simplify daily life.
☐ You have set up automated tasks to simplify your daily life
Reduced your screen time before bed
Reducing screen time before bed can lead to better quality sleep, which in turn can improve overall health and well-being.
This is because the blue light emitted from screens can disrupt the body’s production of the sleep hormone melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep and reducing the quality of sleep.
By reducing screen time, especially before bed, individuals may be able to establish a more consistent sleep schedule and improve their sleep hygiene, which can lead to feelings of restfulness, improved mood, and increased productivity during waking hours.
☐ You now limit your screen time before bed
Started a meditation or mindfulness practice
Starting a meditation or mindfulness practice can help you achieve harmony by reducing stress, improving focus and concentration, promoting emotional regulation, and increasing self-awareness.
I wrote how the key to mindfulness is in reaching an alpha state of mind.
By regularly practising meditation or mindfulness, you may also develop a greater sense of inner calm and balance, which can positively impact your relationships, work, and overall well-being.
☐ You practise meditation or mindfulness or both
Simplified your daily grooming routine
Similar to simplifying your wardrobe, changing your daily grooming routine to a simple approach can help you by reducing decision fatigue and freeing up time for other activities.
By streamlining your routine, you eliminate the need to make multiple decisions about what products to use and how to use them, which can be mentally exhausting.
Also, it will give you more time for other activities such as exercise, meditation, or just spending time with loved ones.
☐ You have a simple routine for your daily grooming
Reduced your consumption of processed foods
Consuming less processed foods can lead to a more balanced diet. A balanced diet can lead to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Having a balanced diet provides your body with all the necessary nutrients in the right proportions, which helps maintain physical health and energy levels.
It can positively affect mental health by promoting better moods and helping you achieve balance and harmony.
☐ You have reduced your intake of processed foods
Learned to delegate tasks to others
Delegation can help you avoid burnout and reduce stress by sharing the workload with others and allowing you to take breaks when needed.
It can also promote teamwork, improve communication, and develop trust with others.
By doing it, you free up your time and energy to pursue other important aspects of your life, such as your personal interests and relationships.
☐ I’ve learned to delegate tasks to others where possible
Set realistic goals and created a plan to achieve them
Setting realistic goals and creating a plan to achieve them means you can prioritize your time, energy, and resources towards what’s important to you.
It helps you avoid distractions or unnecessary stress.
By breaking down your goals into smaller, achievable steps, you can make progress towards them consistently and build momentum over time.
This boosts your confidence and motivation.
Gaining a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment from reaching your goals can enhance your overall well-being and satisfaction in life.
☐ I set realistic achievable goals and have a plan to achieve them
Started a habit of regular self-care
Starting a habit of regular self-care means you are prioritizing your own well-being.
When you take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally, you are better able to handle the stressors and challenges of daily life.
This can lead to increased energy, improved mood, and greater overall satisfaction with your life.
☐ I have a program of regular self-care
Simplified your home decor
Simplifying your home decor helps because a cluttered and chaotic environment can lead to stress and feelings of overwhelm.
By simplifying your home decor, you create a more peaceful and calming space that allows you to focus on what truly matters.
Also, simplifying your home decor can help you prioritize and be more intentional with your possessions, which can lead to a more mindful and fulfilling lifestyle.
☐ I have simplified my home decor to be less cluttered and chaotic
Reduced your use of single-use plastic
Single-use plastic is harmful to the environment and can take hundreds of years to decompose, polluting our oceans and harming wildlife.
By reducing your use of single-use plastic, you can help reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a healthier planet. This can give you a sense of doing something meaningful.
Making conscious choices like this can promote mindfulness and encourage you to live a more intentional and balanced life.
☐ I have reduced my use of single-use plastic
Learned to enjoy simple pleasures like reading a book or taking a walk
Learning to enjoy simple pleasures such as reading a book or taking a stroll can help reduce stress and anxiety. They can help relax you and reward you with a sense of calm.
By making time for these activities, you can also create a sense of routine and structure in your daily life.
As well, these simple pleasures can be a source of inspiration and creativity, leading to personal growth and development.
☐ I have learned to enjoy simple pleasures and feel the rewards
Created a system for managing your to-do list and schedule
Creating a system for managing your to-do list and schedule can help you by giving you a clear understanding of what needs to be done and when.
It can reduce stress and anxiety caused by last-minute scrambling.
This system can also help you identify areas where you may be overcommitting and allow you to make necessary adjustments to create a more manageable workload.
☐ I have honed a system for my to-do list and schedule
