Simplify

I'm seeing a trend these days of people wanting to simplify their lives. Are you seeing it, too?

One of the key ingredients to simplifying is to take a step (or several) to eliminating disorder in our lives. 

It sounds daunting but it doesn't have to be. Disorder impacts our brains in many different ways, including:

1. Distracts you from the task you need to be focused on.
2. Keeps you thinking about future tasks that need your attention.
3. Causes additional stress by overwhelming your senses, causing your body to release cortisol, the stress hormone. Who needs more of that these days, especially during the holidays?
4. Constrains your brain’s ability to process information.
5. Increases procrastinating on taking action.
6. Decreases performance and productivity.
7. Restricts your ability to be creative or think outside the box.
8. Decreases your memory.
9. Keeps you from living in the moment, which decreases happiness and life satisfaction.
   

So how do you simplify and eliminate some of the disorder? With just a few life hacks like these:

1. Get rid of some of the physical clutter. Clean off your desk, your rarely used phone apps (don't freak out about these ... you can always download the ones again that you might miss), and clean out some closets, too. Donate to a worthy cause. You'll feel so good!
2. Block out some time to make your surroundings less distracting. We all have the same amount of time each day. Make yours count.
3. Take positive action to help you relieve stress. Meditation can be one of those actions. I use an app called Calm. Just 10 minutes of a guided meditation does wonders!
4. Don't buy stuff you don't need. If you do, it's probably going to sit around somewhere taking up precious space in your environment. If you see a shiny new gadget, ask yourself if you really NEED it. Try not to rationalize what you buy.
5. De-clutter your kitchen. How many bowls, plates, cups, etc. do you actually use? Oh, I know, you just can't part with that coffee mug from Disneyland, but you can probably live without it.
6. Write down your goals and priorities. What do you want your life to look like right now and in the near future? Read these at least three times a day. Don't worry about the how's right now. Just picture the end result. You'd be surprised how new opportunities and adventures will show up if you do this for 21 days in a row. Maybe sooner!
7. Surround yourself with positive people. This needs no explanation.

That's it for today. Hope this is useful for you. Namaste!