In this post I have listed 17 ways to simplify your daily life. Adopting at least a few of these simple habits in to your daily routine, and in to your family’s busy schedule will help you to achieve your daily tasks in a more efficient and productive manner, and help you to achieve some form of ‘Work/Life’ Balance.
1. WAKE UP EARLY – Set your alarm at least 20 to 30 minutes earlier than you would set your usual daily alarm. This will give you a head start on the day before the other family members wake up for the busy morning rush.
2. MAKE YOUR BED IN THE MORNING – This will help you feel more organized, and productive. It also sets the tone to start the day on a positive outlook along with a can-do attitude.
3. MAKE A LIST OF FIVE IMPORTANT TIME SENSITIVE TASKS - Keep a notepad and a pen on the bedside table. Quickly jot down five tasks which require urgent attention, tasks which must be attended to and completed by the end of the day. Don’t include mundane everyday chores such as do the laundry or clean the kitchen or pick up the mail. Focus only on urgent family/ work /business related matters. Be clear and precise about what you need to achieve and when these tasks must to be completed.
4. TAKE 10 MINUTES IN THE MORNING TO PRACTICE SELF-CARE – Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. Do some breathing exercises, or meditation, or Yoga or simply pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee, sit down and enjoy it. It will do wonders to your physical and mental health.
5. PICK OUT AN OUTFIT TO WEAR TO WORK THE NIGHT BEFORE- This habit will save you so much of time in the morning. Create a capsule wardrobe, to mix and match a variety of different and versatile outfits with a few items of clothing. Stick to comfortable, simple, functional clothes and accessories. While you are at it, pack your work bag the night before too.
6.SIMPLIFY YOUR BEAUTY/ MAKEUP ROUTINE
7. USE A PLANNER TO ORGANIZE YOUR DAY- Use a planner to efficiently and effectively break up complicated work or home projects into manageable individual tasks. Learn to prioritize these tasks by importance and due dates. A planner will help you to increase your productivity. Using a Planner will give you the ability to work smarter and not harder. Keep your planner set up minimal and simplistic. A minimalist planner set up will help you maintain it throughout the whole year.
Keep your planner supplies minimal, and buy only what you need to organize your day more efficiently. Buy decorative planner supplies only if they add value or bring joy to your life and you enjoy expressing your creativity through using such decorative supplies. If you prefer to use an electronic version for organizing try using the calendar app on your phone or online planner. It really does not matter what type of Planner you use, as long as it is functional and suits your lifestyle.
8.SIMPLIFY THE COOKING AND MEAL PREP PROCESS- Find recipes with a few simple and easily available ingredients, which are simple to prepare. Rotate those recipes throughout the week. Try to substitute different vegetables and fruits in your standard recipes to create different meals. Prepare make ahead breakfast recipes and smoothies for a filling meal during the morning rush. Prepare double the quantity of some family favorite meals and freeze the extra portion for nights you just don’t have time to cook. Teach your older children, especially if they are Teenagers, how to prepare simple meals and snacks (but make sure they are supervised by an Adult at all times when they are in the kitchen). Give the older kids the responsibility of packing his/her lunch. Also, don’t feel bad if you serve the same meal, twice for dinner during same week. Your children will survive just fine on the nutritious food you cook, and, they will be grateful that their parents have the time to cook, a home cooked meal from scratch, with their busy work schedules.
9. DO A WELL PLANNED SHOPPING TRIP FOR GROCERIES AND HOME SUPPLIES ONCE A WEEK.
10. LIMIT THE TIME YOU SPEND WATCHING TV, SURFING THE WEB, AND USING SOCIAL MEDIA.
11. TRY TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF CLUTTER YOU HAVE ON TABLES, COUNTER TOPS AND INSIDE THE HOUSE IN GENERAL
It helps you to clean up faster, and, if some item does not add value to your current lifestyle, donate or recycle that item. Adopt a minimalist approach when it comes to decorations and furniture. Avoid bringing unnecessary items into your home in the first place.
12. LEARN TO DELEGATE SOME HOUSEHOLD CHORES AMONG THE FAMILY MEMBERS- Each family member must take responsibility for performing household tasks. Teenagers and older kids can be given the task of keeping their rooms clean and organized. They can also be held responsible for simple tasks such as setting the table for dinner, help cleaning the dishes and cleaning the house. Younger kids can be taught to pick up their toys and books at the end of the day, and, put them in their designated spots. Teaching children to perform simple household tasks, and teaching them to be organized, will help them to learn essential life skills for future.
13. TEACH SCHOOL CHILDREN TO BE ORGANIZED AND HOW TO USE A PLANNER- Children who are in school must be taught to use a planner, to enter exams, school tests, and, assignments due dates as soon as they are handed out by the teachers. Children must be taught to schedule time for studying, completing assignments, extra-curricular activities, and playing. Parents must provide a quiet and distraction-free place, for school children to do their homework, assignments, and, to study for tests. The children must also be given the responsibility to keep their study area clean and organized. These habits will help your children to become more responsible and productive when they are older.
14. DO ONE THING THAT HELPS YOU FEEL CALM AND CENTERED DAILY –Be it meditating or praying, or gardening or reading a book, or listening to an audio book or some classical music, make it a part of your daily routine. It will help you reduce any anxiety or stress in your life.
15. SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY- taking at least 15 minutes a day to sit down together and talk with all your family members, without any distractions from phones, emails or social media, will greatly improve your quality of life. It will give the opportunity for the family members to talk about any problems that they are facing, and, find a solution or ask for advice from other family members.
16. PRACTICE GRATITUDE - At the end of the day take a few minute to be thankful for your job, your spouse, your parents, your children, the health of your family members, and any other blessings that came in to your life that day. If you are the type of person who likes to write in a journal, I suggest that you keep a Gratitude Journal, and, read it anytime you are feeling unhappy/unlucky/overwhelmed.
17. FOCUS ON ONE THING AT A TIME- I personally, feel that the concept multitasking is overrated and most of the time ineffective. There have been many studies that show employees and students, tend to be more focused, efficient and productive when they focus on a single task. This increases their performance level and reduces the chances of making mistakes. Focusing all your attention on a single task at a time,will not only make your life more simpler, but it will increase your productivity, and, give the opportunity to get more done during the day.
"Life is simple, don't complicate it by overthinking"