Life can become so complicated at times that the key to making it easier is to simplify things.
You are not required to make drastic changes. All you have to do is try the suggestions in this article and see how much easier your life can become for yourself.
What does it mean to make life easier?
Managing life can become frustrating at times. It’s easy to get sucked into the myriad of things that life throws at us.
We sometimes spend time going in circles, trying to catch up with life. That we become stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted.
Thus, there is a need to make life easier. So to make life easier means to find methods to simplify life.
You can actually achieve this by streamlining your processes. Identify and analyze your tasks to see if you can reduce, combine, automate, or completely eliminate them.
When you make your tasks and processes easier and more automated, you can live a more relaxed and enjoyable life.
That is, you have time to grow as an individual, spend time with people you care about, and even contribute to community building.
How to make life easier
To make life easier, you need to accept that life is what it is. Good and bad things happen. It proceeds in a constant flow of change, in people, circumstances, and priorities. The difference is in how you respond to it.
Stop resisting the happenings in life, you will just end up fighting a losing battle. Instead, try to internalize the serenity prayer, to wit:
God grant me the serenity
– various attributions (Reinhold Niebuhr, St. Francis of Assisi, Aristotle)
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can, and
Wisdom to know the difference.
Finally, you have to realize that you cannot control everything. You simply need to go with the flow of life. And that sometimes all you need to do is to sit back and allow life to unfold.
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
– Lao Tzu
Top 30 Simple Habits To Make Life Easier
1. Establish routines
Routines can make your life easier because they eliminate the need for you to use your brain power in the execution of tasks. You simply perform them as a result of habit formation.
Establishing good morning and evening routines gives you simple control over your life. Things may not always go as planned, but your routines will ensure that you have a good start and end to your day.
2. Declutter
Clearing out your physical and digital spaces can make your life a lot easier. With less to manage, maintain, clean, and tidy up, you will have more time to devote to more important matters.
Having a clear space can also improve your overall well-being. It can help you feel better, reduce anxiety, and be more productive.
3. Unfollow/unsubscribe
People we follow or subscribe to on social media and the internet can also add clutter to our lives.
They might have been relevant or entertaining in the past, but if their content is no longer useful to you. Or, if all it does is make you feel bad about yourself, then it’s time to unfollow or unsubscribe.
There is no reason for you to experience negative emotions or subscribe to information that is no longer relevant in your current life.
4. Organize
Once you have decluttered, you may also need to organize your space. This will result in an easier flow of things, which can help you to, among other things:
- have less stress,
- have increased productivity,
- save time and money,
- have increased your creativity, and
- have more focus and concentration.
Staying organized allows you to easily stay on top of things, making it a great soft skill to have in your arsenal of making life easier.
5. Live your own life
As they say, to each his own. Live your own life your own way; do not get affected by other people and do not let them impose on your life no matter how well-intentioned they may be.
When you live your life the way you want it to be, you may fail and make mistakes along the way, but the responsibilities and accountability are yours, not that of other people. So, you cannot blame others for your mistakes, and they cannot benefit from your success.
It is heartbreaking to learn that there are people who look back on their lives and regret working too much and expressing their emotions too little.
Some people wish they had allowed themselves to be happier. They regret losing touch with important friends. All because they placed others’ expectations ahead of their own.
Don’t let yourself become one of these people.
Allow yourself the freedom to live your own life. It will be much easier to live on your own terms. And you will have great satisfaction when find yourself on your deathbed knowing you have no regrets. Because you lived your life the way you want it to.
6. Have an MIT
Reduce your to-do list to no more than three of the day’s most important tasks, and then prioritize them. These are tasks that will help you get closer to your personal or professional goals.
This will help with your productivity because the tasks that have the most impact on you get done each day.
Having an MIT also provides you with a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. Knowing that your most important tasks have been completed.
7. Time blocking
Time blocking your most important tasks will also help to make your life a lot easier.
This method of scheduling, in which you divide your day into smaller time frames. And then assigning an important task to each time frame eliminates the need to decide what you should focus on.
You will be more productive because you will save time and energy by not jumping from one task to another.
Furthermore, because you can focus completely on the task at hand, the tasks will be completed faster. And with greater attention to detail.
8. 2-minute rule
When a task can be completed in less than 2 minutes, just do it. This rule will help you develop the habit of taking action immediately. Of doing things now rather than putting them off for later.
It increases your productivity. You avoid piling things on top of each other, which leads to more procrastination, overwhelm, and mental clutter.
The 2-minute allotment though is arbitrary. It is just to emphasize that if a small task can be done and finished quickly, do it. It will be much more convenient than having to remember the task.
9. Healthy way of eating
A healthy diet has a positive impact on how you feel on a daily basis. Your day becomes easier when you eat a well-balanced diet. You gain energy, reduce your risk of obesity, increase muscle strength, and even strengthen your bones and teeth.
Here are some easy ways to improve your eating habits:
- Limit, if not completely eliminate, your soda consumption.
- Drink more water to stay hydrated.
- Add more vegetables to your plate.
- Choose foods high in calcium, fiber, and protein.
- Stop eating when you are already slightly full.
10. Exercise
Regular exercise can make your life easier as well as improve your quality of life. Not only does exercise make you live longer, but it ensures that you live with vitality.
This is because regular exercise can boost your mental and emotional well-being, as well as your productivity.
It also helps you:
- sleep better,
- reduce stress,
- increase your energy levels,
- improve your balance and coordination,
- maintain cardiovascular fitness, and
- improve your self-confidence.
11. Practice gratitude
Giving and receiving gratitude can help to make your life easier. The feel-good emotion that it gives is reason enough to practice gratitude. However, it provides far more.
Here are some of the numerous advantages of practicing gratitude in your life:
- promotes improved physical health,
- focusing on the positive encourages good emotions about yourself and your life.,
- you shift your mindset from one of scarcity and deprivation to one of abundance,
- promotes creativity, and
- helps to strengthen existing relationships and create new ones.
12. Smile and laugh more
Smiling has been shown to improve both physical and mental health. When you smile, you can win people over and make yourself feel so much better.
In fact, even a phony smile can instantly make you feel better. This is due to the fact that the muscles that form a smile can cause the brain to feel happy.
And when your smile turns into a full-fledged laugh, you can expect the entire world, or perhaps just those closest to you, to laugh along with you.
Smiling and laughing can thus make your life easier.
13. Appreciate people
People appreciation is an excellent life skill to cultivate. When you genuinely appreciate those around you, it makes them want to be around you. And work with you whether in a personal or professional setting.
People who feel needed and appreciated will want to give back the favor. Creating a trusting and cooperative environment that leads to more learning and experience, increased productivity, and improved social interactions.
14. Don’t hold grudges
Holding grudges will only weigh heavily on your heart, and you will be the one to suffer the consequences.
The best thing you can do is to forgive, forget, and if you can, simply ignore them.
One thing is for sure and it is backed by science: forgiving others makes your life easier, less stressful, and possibly even longer.
15. Wake up early
One of the most successful people’s secrets to success is getting up early. This is because getting up early gives you a head start on your day. Allowing you more time to run errands or work.
Aside from productivity, waking up early has a number of other advantages, including:
- better sleep,
- improved cognitive function,
- encourages a calm start to your day,
- allows for better day-to-day planning, and
- reduces the likelihood of forgetting to do something.
16. Avoid multitasking
Research has shown that multitasking will not do you any good. In fact, what it does is ruin your performance and may even contribute damage to your brain.
Multitasking only decreases your productivity and the quality of your work. In addition, continuing the habit of multitasking will reduce your levels of concentration, organization, and attention to detail.
The better habit to develop is that of single-tasking. Doing one task at a time allows you to:
- save time and energy,
- increase productivity,
- strengthen your self-discipline,
- avoid distractions,
- improve concentration,
- feel more satisfied,
- improve your creativity,
- experience less stress and anxiety, and
- get into your flow state.
17. Plan
Having a plan for your day, week, month, or even year gives you a structure to work with. This reduces distractions, decision fatigue, and a lack of direction.
Planning will make your day—and your life—a lot easier.
However, this does not necessarily mean that a plan must be followed to the letter. After all, Murphy’s law states that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”
What it does, strange as it may appear, is give you more flexibility. That is, knowing that if things don’t go as planned, you can always go back to it. Make a few changes and carry on with life.
You don’t need to worry because you know you have a plan. You have a road map to follow in order to reach your goal. And even if there are minor changes and obstacles along the way, you know you’re on the right track.
18. Keep learning
Another habit you should cultivate to make your life easier is continuous learning. When you keep learning, you will gain the following benefits:
- increased happiness,
- greater satisfaction,
- increased productivity,
- better engagement with others, including clients,
- adaptability and relevance leading to greater competitive advantage in the workplace or business,
- increased creativity, and
- innovation.
19. Automate your finances
Managing your finances takes up so much time that it can become tedious and stressful at times.
Therefore, using technology to automate your finances can help you save time, reduce stress, and make your life easier.
You can accomplish this by simply automating the majority of your monthly tasks. Such as paying bills and transferring funds to savings or investments.
When you automate your finances, you won’t have to worry about missing payments or wasting money due to penalties. Which will give you peace of mind.
Another way automation can help your finances is by reducing the temptation to spend money on wants. You won’t be tempted to spend your money when they are automatically transferred to your savings account.
Finally, you get creative in order to stretch your remaining funds until your next paycheck.
So, while it may take some time to get started. The time you’ll save in the long run by automating your finances is invaluable.
20. Start small
Trying to make your life easier will not be simple. This is due to the fact that you must introduce and implement good habits one small step at a time.
You will have to control your impatience or else the habits will not stick. And you will have to repeat them over and over without really getting into the said habit.
Because it takes a lot of energy and time to get started big. And when resistance is high, your chances of giving up are also high.
So, if you want your habit to stick, start small.
The key is to make the action simple to perform so that there is less resistance. Also, when something is simple enough, you don’t have to decide whether you should do it. You simply get it done.
21. Have a fun calendar
Make a separate calendar for fun activities. Make a list of things you want to do. Activities that can help you de-stress, be happy, and remain calm and relaxed.
Playing video games, watching television shows or movies, taking a long bath, or getting a massage are some examples. You may also schedule your hobbies such as walking, gardening, dance classes, baking, and so on.
Keep this calendar for when you need to take a break from work, are stressed, or are extremely tired. Examine your options for activities and where you can fit in the time to relax.
22. Limit your wardrobe choices
Successful people like Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Barack Obama are known to wear the same outfit every day.
Why? Because it helps in avoiding decision fatigue. And we are aiming to make life easier by limiting the number of choices we have because it wears us down. It depletes our mental energy, which could be better spent on more important tasks.
So, when it comes to clothing, you can help simplify your choices by downsizing your wardrobe. Limit them to ones that fit you and make you look good, as well as colors that can go with any other outfit you own.
You may find that by limiting your wardrobe, you are less stressed, more productive, and more fulfilled.
Life is complicated enough as it is, so don’t sweat the small stuff.
In the words of American author Henry David Thoreau “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand”
23. Pause before making a decision
Before making a decision, especially an important one, you should practice taking a short pause. Take a few slow, deep breaths while thinking happy thoughts.
This is to help you calm down and clear your mind so you don’t make a hasty or downright bad decision.
Making the right decisions helps you get on the right track right away rather than wasting time and effort dealing with a situation caused by making the wrong choice.
24. Redesign your pantry set-up
Stack or arrange food items in your pantry and fridge so you can easily tell what you already have. You can avoid overstocking or purchasing duplicates with this habit. It will also help you save time and money while reducing food waste.
Another option is to keep an inventory of your items. When you consume a food item, update your inventory. So that when it comes time to make a grocery list, all you have to do is check your inventory. And look through the items that need to be replenished.
25. Remember that every minute counts
Think of your time in terms of minutes and you will find yourself a lot more productive. Taking advantage of the smaller chunks of time that you can find in between big tasks can help you get more things done.
When you shift your mindset to thinking that every minute counts, you realize how much can be accomplished in a minute. Examples of things you can do in a short period of time include:
- Doing a few push-ups, squats, jumping jacks, or a plank,
- Drink water,
- Write a few lines in your journal, article, or novel,
- Hug your kids or people close to you,
- Send hello or other inspiring messages to your friends,
- Take slow and deep breaths to clear your mind,
- Read a few quotes, jokes, or humorous anecdotes to make yourself smile and feel better,
- Practice gratitude,
- Plan,
- Tidy up your space.
Making each minute of your time count allows you to value your time even more. It enables you to overcome procrastination. Helps you to focus more effectively and avoid wasting time on trivial distractions to your productivity.
26. Let your Mondays chill
It’s no secret that Mondays are not the most liked day of the week. It’s the day when people are still longing for the weekend, so they’re not at their best on the first day of the week.
So it makes perfect sense to avoid scheduling important meetings on Mondays. Also, avoid making major decisions.
First, you will not be at your best, and the people with whom you work or interact may also be suffering from Monday blues.
Second, sometimes more information becomes available over time, which improves your decision-making process. Alternatively, you may discover that certain issues you are contemplating will resolve themselves.
The best thing you can do on a Monday instead of meetings or major decision-making activities is to:
- Plan your week.
- Take on the most difficult challenges first.
- But also set aside time to socialize with your colleagues, such as during breaks or while eating lunch together.
- On Mondays, get creative and see if there are any tasks that you can create a template for or streamline further.
- Keep track of the status of your projects.
- Get busy organizing and prioritizing your files. File away the unimportant or finished paperwork but keep critical files easily accessible. So that you can simply access them when you, your boss, or colleagues require something at the last minute.
27. Offload tasks you’re not good at
Mastering hard skills take time and effort. What’s more, there are some skills for which you simply must accept that you lack talent. And that’s okay; you’re not a failure.
So, stop DIYing things. If you are not trained to carry out a particular task, you should hire a professional to do it for you.
The concept applies whether at home, at work, or in business. Offloading tasks that you are not good at will make your life much easier and will almost certainly save you time and money.
28. Write down your negative emotions
Writing things down help clear your brain from all the thoughts it has to process. It’s sort of a brain dump that can also help you let go of thoughts and feelings that only make you feel bad.
Anger, anxiety, sadness, shame, or worry are all negative emotions that can harm you physically and mentally.
So, when you’re feeling these emotions, grab a notebook and a pen and start scribbling down everything you’re feeling.
Writing down your feelings, according to science, can help you clarify your thoughts and feelings and then move on to better things.
29. Say no
Time is a limited resource, and there is only so much you can do with it.
As a result, you must stop wasting time and energy on things that are of no value to you because you said yes to people’s requests. Keep in mind that you can always say no.
Catering to everyone’s demands will only lead to overwhelm and resentment.
You define your boundaries when you say no. And this will result in more honest, authentic, and resentment-free relationships.
Furthermore, saying no allows you to make conscious choices that free up your time, energy, and attention for what is meaningful to you.
Finally, being able to say no allows you to say yes to what truly matters.
30. Limit your decision-making options
It is important to develop good decision-making habits in life. And one way to make decision-making easier is to limit your options to no more than 3.
Once you have gathered all of the facts and information about your options, choose the top 3 and discard the rest.
With this practice, you can avoid analysis paralysis. Additionally, narrowing down your choices allows you to make a much more informed decision and ultimately choose the best option.
Conclusion
To conclude, all these habits suggested in this article are simple. Although admittedly, some of them may not be easy to implement.
As with most habits, it takes time and practice for them to become second nature.
So you will need a lot of patience, understanding, and dedication to practice these things one small step at a time. Developing these habits will eventually benefit you and make your life much easier.
Please share your thoughts or ideas about the Top 30 Simple Habits To Make Life Easier in the comments below.