I don’t know about you, but living a simple, stress free life has been something that I’ve strived for since I can remember. There were times that I thought it would never come, but since embarking on my living in the moment journey, I’ve managed to find ways to simplify my life with these easy stress busters.
What I’ve learned is that living a stress free life starts with your morning routine. I used to be the girl that as soon as I opened my eyes my mind was racing on everything I had to do that day, the following day and for the next few days. I never took time to live in gratitude for what I had and the life I led. Now a days, even though my brain still automatically wants me to get on with my day, I quiet those needs and allow myself 10 minutes to lay in bed and list all the things that I’m grateful for. It’s amazing how that automatically transforms my mood from anxiety, fear, stress to happiness, joy and relaxation, which sets the tone for the rest of the day and it’s wonderful! Do it again at night and allow yourself to reflect on the positive things of the day and you will soon begin to feel less stressful as the days go by.
Yes, everyday life is filled with numerous distractions. It’s because of this that my calendar has been my saving grace in helping to not only remind me of the things I can do to simplify my life, but in helping to bring me back to living in the moment. I personally love using my Google calendar to schedule my day. The main reason is that it works across all my devices and whether I’m at work or at home, I never miss a notification. Do I ignore the notifications every now and then, totally, but for the most part I stick to what I’ve scheduled for myself.
Most of the time I schedule affirmations to help me stay positive and on track with short and long term goals that I’ve set for myself, but during times that I know I’m home, I schedule chores for myself to complete each night (Monday – sweep; Tuesday – mop; Wednesday – clean bathrooms, etc). Yes, chores. Why? Because this frees up my weekend for fun and doesn’t make me feel overwhelmed having to clean my house from top to bottom in one day. Not gonna lie, these are some of the notifications that I tend to ignore, especially since I’ve let go of perfectionism and having a perfectly clean house on the daily. But if I do at least one or two of the items scheduled, then I’m that much more ahead when I feel like cleaning. 
I know that being tied to the notifications from your devices doesn’t sound like the ideal stress busting environment for some, but for those of use who are highly organized and feel less stressed when we stay on top of things, it can be helpful. If however, you find yourself getting tense or anxious every time your notifications go off, may I suggest you turn off your non-essential ones – Facebook, Instagram, etc. I know that may seem weird coming from a social media influencer, but it’s not for everyone. It’s ok if it takes you a couple of hours to like or comment on a post. Trust me, it will all be ok. Then you can go back to a paper calendar or stickies through out your office and home to help you stay on track.
The other thing I’ve embraced is living in a clutter free home. I grew up in a home filled with tons of chotskies that had to get dusted every weekend, so that may be why I now tend to have ample counter space through out. Whatever the catalyst may have been, I tend to keep most of my surfaces clutter free. That also includes my kitchen and bedroom closets. As I’ve shared many a time, I’m so not a pack rat. And to that end, I tend to keep a bag in my closet, ready to take all my gently used clothing, shoes, accessories, etc. that I have fallen out of love with. Once I have a few bags worth of clothing and/or household goods, then I head off to drop them off at a donation station. This not only helps keep your stuff manageable, but it also brings a sense of doing good for the community you live in, which can’t be beat.
May I also encourage you to keep this same train of thought when dealing with the little bits of mail that get delivered now a days. As you receive it, open it and decide whether it needs to be recycled (junk mail/circulars), shredded (credit card solicitations, etc.), paid (bills) or filed (important docs).
These things combined are not only great stress busters, but they’re definitely simple, free ways to simplify your life.
What stress busters have you discovered for your self in simplifying your life?
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Its funny how we have a few things in common! I also dont like clutter and try to keep counters clear but my husband has pretty much ended that. I also need a calendar but I’m still old-school and put one up on the wall with reminders scribbled all over it. Meditation before bed has been such a huge savior! I need to get around doing it in the mornings too. And when I am encountering too many negative thoughts, I stop and say a quick thank you for all my blessings. It really works!
Great post!
Yes Liz, living in gratitude totally helps & totally love how many things we have in common. And really its about whatever works for you and your family and loving yourself through it all
Hi my conference buddy! I am a recovering perfectionist as well, and a Google calendar lover. I agree that your morning routine makes a huge difference in setting the tone of the day. I love to wake up early and read the scriptures with my family and pray, and gratitude is paramount!
Hello beauty, great seeing you this weekend and thanks for stopping in. It’s wonderful to see how much we have in common…great minds think alike. Give your beautiful family a hug for me.