Life can be so busy sometimes that we constantly find ourselves looking for ways to make it easier, and ultimately just have a more simple life. I know I can’t be the only one that gets that overwhelming feeling!
I’ve spent so many hours of my life that were wasted on trivial things I knew I didn’t enjoy, and kept hearing myself complain about it. Over the years, I’ve found a few secrets that have IMMENSELY helped to simply my life and bring that breath of fresh air we’re all looking for.
Here are a few things I’m covering in this blog post:
- Why you need to create routines
- How not saying “yes” immediately will change your life
- The power of a daily walk
- How to make dinner time SO much easier
- The key to buying (and having) less
So if you’re totally over the complete stress you feel every time you think about all the things you have and have to do, keep reading! You won’t regret it.
I am a creature of habit… or at least I think I am until I realize how disorganized my schedule is on any given day of the year. The bad news is sometimes we can’t control the frequency or fickleness (is that even a word??) of commitments or obligations we have in our lives. The GOOD news is there are parts of your day that you CAN control!
Let me break it down for you. You have work, or maybe you take care of kids, or maybe you do both! There’s baseball practice on Tuesday, piano lessons on Thursday, and spelling bee intensive training on Monday, Thursday, & Friday (you have smart children). No one day looks the same, but maybe your morning/evening routine does. That special time that allows your brain to reset and helps you find some peace.
Or maybe you always make sandwiches for dinner every Wednesday. It’s a routine. Something you know that will always come back around at the same time, every time. Our brains are wired to need a little predictability.
It’s that sense of safety that allows us to move from the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and settle into para-sympathetic mode (rest and digest). It helps you release that stress hormone, cortisol, that we tend to be addicted to these days and find the calm within that we are all searching for.
One of my favorite routines that helps me so much and is one less thing I have to think about is a cleaning schedule. I used to be so stressed about when to clean what, how often, and was always checking for cobwebs in the corners. Now I know exactly when things are going to get done (I don’t even have to think about it), and as much as I vacuum or dust, there’s always some cobwebs left in a few corners. It’s called giving yourself grace.
Imagine this: You just loaded up the kids and are getting ready to peel out of the church parking lot when you see Susan chasing you down to ask if you can help provide food for the Presidents’ Day celebration in the toddler class next week.
*PAUSE*
Before you say “okay, fine” (because we all know you really don’t want or have the time to), say your phrase. Your phrase is whatever you want it to be, but it’s your automatic response when you get asked to commit to something that gives you time to really think about it.
Close to a year ago, I realized I was over-committing myself by a LONG shot. My feeling of obligation to say yes to everything is something my mother taught me and something I definitely never grew out of. Once I realized how taxing it had become to my brain, emotions, and my relationships, I decided something had to change.
Enter my phrase. “Thanks for asking me to be a part of this, but let me check my calendar and talk with my husband before I give you a firm answer.”
For the most part that’s usually how it comes out, but you get the point. Go ahead and learn at this point in your life that it’s not rude to say no, but if you can’t do that, at least give yourself time to actually think about your decision outside of the conversation.
My phrase allows me to truly respond to the person in a kind way, but also alleviates the pressure to immediately decide. I am so much more likely to properly assess something asked of me in context of my current commitments and desires of my family if I have time to do so. I’m also much more likely to say “no” because I have time to understand if something just doesn’t work for me.
So spend a few minutes today and come up with YOUR phrase. I promise it will completely unburden you when it comes to over-committing and will help keep your life simple by not having so many unwanted things to do.
Let’s face it. We’ve all had that one night where you just really don’t feel like cooking what’s on the meal plan or your fridge is looking bare but you need a quick and easy dinner on the table.
Introducing your new best friend: freezer meals.
Freezer meal prep isn’t just for postpartum dinners anymore, it’s the responsible way to have a healthy, delicious meal on the nights you just don’t have the time or energy to make a full spread. The easiest way to accomplish this is while you’re meal planning for the week- take a glance at which meal you can multiply the easiest. Grab enough groceries for two meals of that dinner and make it all at once. You’re not doing any more work, but you are reaping twice the harvest because one of those meals is going to get portioned out and put in the freezer for an easy option down the road.
Some yummy, nourishing options we love around here are:
- Chicken Pot Pie or Shepherd’s Pie
- Literally any soup (they freeze gloriously and can be tossed in a crockpot to warm up!)
- Pasta bakes or lasagna (requires some effort on the front but so rewarding later!)
- Stir fry
- Breakfast foods like waffles, pancakes, scones, or BF sandwiches
- Literally anything!!!
The options are so endless for freezer meals and they will make your life SO much easier on those nights you’re in a pinch! It completely simplifies the dinner process, and therefore, the whole evening. Go ahead and start prepping one freezer meal every week, and before you know it you’ll have a whole arsenal of ready-to-go meals available to you! You can thank me later.
Daily walks have completely revolutionized my life. I’ll admit, I’m not the greatest on the daily part, but every time I go for a walk I’m reminded why I need to do it more.
You might be wondering…”How is taking a walk going to help me? I am trying to simplify my life and make it easier. Not try to squeeze ANOTHER thing into my already packed schedule! That’s literally why I’m reading this blog post!!”
Yes. That is correct, but trust me when I say that doing this WILL help make your life easier. About 7 months ago I woke up one day with overwhelming anxiety. It came out of nowhere (or so I thought), and it felt like my whole world was crashing. I couldn’t get over the immense stress and pressure I felt from my life and responsibilities and I had this physical weight on my chest making it like I couldn’t breathe. In that time that spanned actual months, I started talking walks. I thought I didn’t have time in my day between work and church and teaching piano and cooking dinner and ALL the things to set aside time for myself, but I did it anyway.
I’m not saying that walks got me over that period in my life (there was lots of prayer and therapy involved), but they did show me one thing. Being in nature, taking the time out of my day to step away from all my responsibilities, and just being present helped me clear my head. Just minutes into every walk I would notice how all the things on my to-do list that seemed so stressful not 5 minutes before…didn’t seem so stress-inducing anymore.
Walks gave me perspective. And I know they will do the same for you. Going for a walk may not physically simply your life, but it will absolutely simplify your mind, body, and soul. And when you can think better and clearer, it will absolutely help you tackle and deal with all the tangible things around you. Just give it a try…you won’t regret it. And if it doesn’t change anything for you at all, the worst that could happen is you get a little gentle exercise.
You made it to the last one! You might be thinking I’m crazy with this last tip, but it has served me so well for years on end! I started doing this as a teenager and it is one of the most practical ways I have found to reduce my consumption as a consumer and subsequently keeps my home less cluttered and more simple.
I’ve never been a big shopper; my mom is a witness that after store two, I’m out and sitting in the car for the rest of the shopping day. Of course, I am guilty of doing some online browsing because, who doesn’t like scrolling on your phone for shiny new things all while lying in the comfort of your own bed?!
However, if I am in need of something, I will take a trip to my local thrift store to see what they have. Don’t look for me at the department store, but the thrift and antique shops are my gold mine. Because of that, I’m *almost always* tempted to buy something that is not on my “need” list. You ever heard of the Target effect? That’s me at Goodwill.
So when I need something,
- I will go to the store but I will leave my cash and cards safely in my vehicle (sometimes even at home if I know the temptation to spend is going to be great).
- I’ll do my browsing, and I’ll keep in mind the whole time that if I decide to purchase something, I’ll have to go all the way out to my car to get my wallet.
- 9 times out of 10 that is enough to deter me from making a rash purchase or filling up my cart with items I love, but don’t really need.
- And the best part is, if I go home and start wishing that I really should have bought that dress or piece of English china enough to go back and get it the next day, then I feel completely justified in my decision to spend because I took time to think it over and actually decided it was needed in my life rather than buying it in a fit of haste desire at the store. That was a long sentence.
Next time you find yourself in the mood or need to shop, give this trick a try. It will greatly decrease your spending habits (a lot of reconsideration can happen in your head when you start that walk to the car), and by nature it will keep you having less clutter in your home, making for an easy way to simplify your buying and having.
Life is way too crazy and busy for you to not take action on these steps to help simplify your schedule! Even if you take slow steps to implement them one at a time, I guarantee that you will see such satisfying changes in your mental clarity and things will just feel easier.
If you want to slow down from the grind a little, let me know which tip you are going to give a try first and what some of your favorite ways to live a simpler life are! Happy living, y’all!