7 Practical Habits For A Simpler Life

You would be hard pressed to say the majority of people don’t feel overwhelmed weekly thanks to all of the tasks they lay out for themselves.

Drifting, running or sprinting from one event to the next.

Why do we never have enough time!

There has to be a better way. A less stressful way?

There is. Like we talked about before, the key to an easier life is discipline and a set of positive habits.

I’ve already implemented a handful of these habits in my own life recently and saw improvements almost overnight.

Making small changes in your daily routine — not all at once — but gradually over time will help calm the chaos, quiet the chatter in your head and help you focus on the tasks that matter.

Simple Habits, Simple Life

1. 7-9 hours of sleep: More important for your health than diet or exercise. What if I told you there was a drug that helps improve your immune system, fight off cancer, heart disease, anxiety, depression, diabetes, enhances memory, and even makes you look better. It exists, it’s called sleep.

2. Write it down: Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them. Get it out of your head into a to-do list, journal, cocktail napkin, doesn’t matter. This will instantly remove the stress of “hoping you don’t forget”. I keep a journal and large paper pads around.

3. Plan your week: This goes together with habit #2. Once a week I take an hour to move everything from my to-do list or random assorted papers onto my calendar. It’s easy to put things off indefinitely without a deadline. This helps to decrease your long list of to-dos and reduce the anxiety cost — The price you pay for avoiding what it is you know you need to do — of items living on the list for weeks.

4. Practice saying no: Saying no is never fun. Start with small things. If you find yourself perpetually out of time for the things you want to do, there is a good chance you’ve said yes to too many other commitments. Remember, no one else will respect your time as much as you do.

5. Go first: This one requires a little bit of humility and remembering that everyone is busy. Invite your friends over, say hello to your new neighbour, make that request at work. Most people are happy someone else asked first!

6. Practice gratitude: The reason for this one is simple, it’s very hard to complain when you remind yourself about all the good things you already have. I write one page worth every morning.(A reminder that if you’re reading this your life is better than 90% of people on the planet)

7. Make less choices: Create a weekly dinner rotation or simplify your wardrobe. Making less choices increases your willpower and decision making skills, leading to more satisfaction with your choices and better results.

We often think the solutions to our problems come from just being able to do MORE. Often the right answer is the exact opposite.