Simplify. It’s a Caring Gift You Can Give Yourself Anytime

Simplify to take good care of yourself.

Finding time to simplify is a core self-care skill.

I find it very helpful to think of it that way, rather than as a task for my To-Do List.

Unfortunately, when it’s seen as a task, finding time to simplify often gets bumped when things get busy (which is most of the time). It never quite makes it to the top.

But that’s not all. There are other reasons that simplifying gets perpetually postponed on To-Do Lists.

Here are two other things that get in the way for many people:

• Difficulties with letting go. When it comes to simplifying or decluttering, this is a sure-fire recipe for procrastination.
• When a task like de-cluttering becomes a “should” that may trigger your inner rebel and shut down any thoughts of simplifying.

One way to start…

Last night when I was putting my work away and getting ready to leave my office, a post on Zen Habits caught my eye.  Titled “The March Challenge: One Small Change, One Big Impact,” it offers ideas and insights about making just one small change in your life and the very large impact that it has. One of the changes he writes about has to do with simplifying. or decluttering.  Here’s the passage:

Declutter or clean — spend 10 minutes decluttering one shelf, one space on your counter or in your closet, and over the course of a month you’ll have made a huge dent in your clutter. If you’re fairly clutter-free, you can spend a little time cleaning different areas of your house. A clean environment can get you in a great mindset for being focused, calm and present for everything you do.

Many of us like the idea of simplicity in practice but sabotage our implementation by having expectations that outstrip our time and energy. It’s also important to think about what it means to you to simplify. Don’t confuse asceticism with simplifying.  Remember, self-care is your guiding principle here., not perfectionism.

And, as with so many things, starting small and striving for balance will go a long way toward helping you realize your goals.  Letting go is difficult for many of us, so be gentle with yourself and start small.

Try this right now…

Stop reading and look around the room you are in right now.  Do you see things that you seldom or never use or enjoy looking at? These items can be anything, large or small.

• Pick up 3 of those things and put them into a bag.
• Put the bag in your closet.
• Keep adding to your bag, repeating this exercise every day for a week.

Do you miss the items that you removed?  If you don’t, then that’s a clue that you may want to think about letting them go.

Did you discover that you actually needed some of them?  Then, by all means, return them to their places.

Bottom line?

This is an excellent, low-impact way to declutter lots of spaces, simplify, and take better and better care of yourself.

If you find that, after some predetermined span of time, you never give a thought to the items you’ve culled, then I suggest that you can happily either give them away, sell them, or dispose of them.

It will come…

Slowly, your landscape will change as you let go of what you really don’t need.  As this process evolves, notice how you feel.

• Does your breath come more easily in your decluttered space?
• Do things emerge that had been hidden?
• Do you have energy and ideas that you hadn’t known were “in there”?

I think you’ll be amazed at what you find as you journey on this path of discovery.

Remember, it needn’t take a lot of time.  Go easy, and see what evolves … and drop me a line – I’d love to hear how it goes for you…

What if you could find another hour every day?

You can.

You are invited to sign up for your FREE Finding Time Success Kit. It puts 3 key tools for your time success right into your hands.

Claim it today and see how you can recharge your energy, reduce overwhelm and frustration, and come to learn that 24 hours really ARE enough.

Let’s explore time together …