SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK: Day 7 (Women)

Tuesday, August 7^th: Today’s the last day … last day to officially celebrate SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK. Today’s simplicity tips are for women, although if you’re one that likes to spend a lot of time primping, some may be met with resistance.

• Kick off the High Heels: Toss the high heels and replace with comfortable, low-heeled or flat shoes. You’ll walk in comfort, your wardrobe is simplified and you’ll save on potential foot maladies down the road.
• Simplify the Primping: Find a flattering low-maintenance hairstyle. Think of the hours you’ll save over the space of a year. Skip the array of skin-cleansing products. The costs add up, especially if you end up with shelves of jars and bottles that you don’t use.
• Goodbye Acrylic Nails: Yes, they’re beautiful and this one won’t be for every one. If you really desire a simpler life, skipping the manicures, nails and polishes saves you time and energy and money.
• Minimize your Accessories: A simpler wardrobe saves time and energy. Have you ever spent a half an hour or more trying to choose an outfit, trying different scarves, blouses, brooches, necklaces, shoes, and purses; trying to pick a final outfit from all the choices in the closet? Say goodbye to endless fashion possibilities and hello to an easier, simpler life.

Happy Simplify your Life Week … Enjoy the freedoms in your new simpler life!

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK: Day 6 (Personal Life)

Monday, August 6^th: Six days, six days out of the week to celebrate SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK. Have you been able to implement any simplification steps to your life this week? Here’s a few ways to simplify your personal life. (Although, there is a little overlap here between previous days tips. Just as in ‘real life’, simplifying your life doesn’t always fit neatly into little cubbies.)

• Just Say No. Already mentioned in Day 2 for Lifestyles, learning to say ‘No’ bears repeating. Saying no to requests, from friends, family and organizations can have a huge impact on reducing our commitments of time, energy and resources. Do you find it difficult to say no, especially when caught off-guard? Have a list of excuses handy, maybe a list by the phone or on your computer. Practice a few; the words will flow out of your mouth easier if the words are familiar. No. No, thank you. No, I can’t this time. No, that doesn’t work for me. No, I’m too overcommitted to take on anything else. Try it, you’ll be amazed.
• Just be Yourself. Trying to be someone else, or trying to live a life that’s not true to your values and beliefs is horribly complicating. Not being yourself robs you of time you don’t have. An unauthentic life steals energy that isn’t always sufficient for the life you want to live. Having ‘things’ and participating in activities that don’t resonate with the ‘real you’ diverts resources that could go towards removing debt, that can add joyful activates to your life, or could support causes that are dear to your heart.
• If It’s Not Working, Stop Doing It: If an activity, relationship, friendship, organization, or anything, doesn’t compliment your life anymore … stop it. Let it go and use your energies for a life that’s fulfilling.
• Take Time to Watch the Sunset: Slow down and enjoy the beauty of nature. Learn to appreciate the wondrous sights that we often take for granted. A beautiful sunset (or sunrise or magnificent stormy sky) soothes our souls … and is FREE!

Enjoy the sunset  … in your new simplified life!

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK: Day 5 (Health)

Sunday, August 5^th: Another day in SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK; today is about your health. A simpler life AND a healthier life too; what could be better? Here are a few tips on simplifying from Elaine St. James, in Simplify Your Life.

• Simplify your eating habits: Choose meals and recipes that reduce meal preparation time. Increase fresh fruits and vegetables for minimal preparation and increased health benefits. Eliminate, or at least reduce, processed foods from your diet. Healthy salads, soups, and steamed veggies simplify dinner time.
• Once a week fast: Once a week have a fresh fruit or fresh fruit juice fast. This cuts kitchen time and is good for us. Also, a once a week fast helps maintain weight. Toss an apple, a banana and an orange or two in the blender. Add some strawberries, blueberries or a peach, according to what you like and what’s on hand. (Remember, we’re trying to simplify, so don’t make a special trip to the store to purchase needed produce. Plan ahead and get the fruits –or veggies- on a routine shopping trip.)
• Pack your own lunch: Pack and carry a lunch to work, instead of eating out every day. It’s healthier for you and also saves money, which helps simplify our finances. I’ve been taking my lunches, spending between $10-$14 for five lunches, for either sandwiches or my veggie/bean mix, crackers, fruit and a green tea drink. My co-workers are spending $6-$10 a day at lunch for daily McDonalds, Chinese, Subway, or Wendy’s (the four closest eateries we can get to on a half hour lunch.) Try it for two weeks; I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
• Go for a walk: Fire your personal trainer, don’t renew your gym membership, or purchase any home exercise equipment. Walk. No fancy equipment needed, it’s simple. It’s easy. It’s FREE!

Celebrate life; celebrate a simpler life, a healthy life!

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK: Day 4 (Work)

Saturday, August 4^th: A fourth day of simplifying; today is Day 4 of SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK. Celebrate the day by simplifying your job. (No, quitting your job doesn’t count. Wait a minute, maybe it can.)

Has your time-management system engulfed your life? Does it take more time to maintain your “lists” than you have time to spend on completing your tasks and chores? Maybe it’s time for a simpler system.

How close is your work to your home? Do you spend hours a day sitting in gridlock between your two bases? Would a job closer to home simplify your life by less transit time, lower gasoline money needed every month, or lowered maintenance on your vehicle?

Stop the busy work. Are there tasks that can be delegated? How much time is spent during your work day completing needless activities? Can meetings be eliminated, or shortened? Can you spend less time on email and time consuming chores?

For some tips on how to simplify your work day, check out these sites:

http://zenhabits.net/simplify-your-workday/

http://www.workhappynow.com/2010/03/10-ways-to-simplify-your-work-day/

Today (or your next work day) stop for a moment. Take a close look at your routine activities. What one thing can you do to simplify your job?

Happy simplifying!

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK: Day 3 (Finances)

Friday, August 3^rd: Today is the third day in SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK. Today we celebrate by looking at simplifying our finances. On this subject, I can’t claim to use my own life as examples of what to do. For finances, I bow to the wisdom of others. Elaine St. James, in Simplify Your Life, has excellent advice on different ways to simplify your financial life.

• First, and foremost is … Get out of Debt! Less debt means fewer bills to sit down and pay every month. Also, take a look at how much each month is paid in interest charges, annual fees and late fees. This can add up to substantial savings each month.
• Rethink your buying habits: St. James also advises thinking twice about purchases. They designated one day a week for shopping. This may not be feasible for many families, but if you can factor in some ‘think about it time’, you may decide that you don’t need the item you’re considering, or there may be another way to fulfill the need.
• Consolidate accounts. Less accounts to keep track of takes less time, uses less paper and eases some lives.
• Pay off your mortgage. Paying a little extra on your mortgage each month can significantly reduce the term of your mortgage and save many thousands of dollars over the life of your loan.

Here are some excellent books on getting your financial life in order. (in no particular order)

How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously: Based on the Proven Principles and Techniques of Debtors Anonymous, Jerrold Mundis

How to Make a Budget: Get Out of Debt and Start Saving More Money, Brian Carr

LIVING FRUGALLY: Tips On Saving Money And Living Within Your Means, Pepper Rosanne

The 1-2-3 Money Plan, Gregory Karp

One Year to an Organized Financial Life, ReginaLeeds

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke, Suze Orman

Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money – That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!, Robert T. Kiyosaki

The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey

The Richest Man in Babylon, George Clason

The Millionaire Next Door, Thomas J. Stanley

Your Money or Your Life, Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK: Day 2 (Daily Life)

Thursday, August 2^nd: Simplify my life? Is it possible? Today is the second day of SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK. Here are a few ideas to simplify your lifestyle. Not every idea will be for every person. We all have different lives, different needs and different values. Simplifying your life is about taking control of your life, leaving you the time, energy and freedom to live a life YOU want to live. Read through these ideas, take what you can use, leave what doesn’t call to you, and expand on what you can.

• Vacation at Home: Use the time to catch up on projects that have been haunting you. Take the time for home repairs, maintenance or yard work you’ve wanted to accomplish. Sleep in. Take naps. Visit attractions in your own backyard; many are free or low cost. Stop at your local library; come home with an armload of FREE books to read during your days off.
• Reduce Mail: Cancel magazine subscriptions, especially those you never seem to have time to read. Take your stacks of unread and piling higher magazines to a good home; a local nursing home, Girl Scout troop, or thrift store. Opt out of junk mail. (See http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt063.shtm) How about that email box littered with hundreds (or thousands) of unread emails you never seem to have the time to read? Many of those weekly or monthly updates from companies, or newsletters that were so interesting long ago don’t apply to your life anymore. Unsubscribe to those you no longer are interested in.
• Meetings and Organizations: Are you involved with groups that don’t fit your life anymore? These organized groups (and their commitments) can easily multiply like rabbits if unattended. Soon they require more evenings and weekends than you care to spend your precious time attending. Take a look at the groups you’re involved with. Keep those that are meaningful and important to you. Bow out of those that don’t make the ‘A’ list.
• Rethink Meals with Friends: Socializing is an important aspect to a fulfilling and satisfying life. If too much time and energy goes into cleaning, cooking and preparing for a social evening, rethink and start meeting at restaurants to make your life easier. Is too much time and money being spent in restaurants? Then, maybe for you meeting friends at home may be simplifying. What about a potluck? Everyone brings a dish and the entire food preparation isn’t put on one set of shoulders.
• Just Say ‘No’: The sage advice we try to instill in our children are precious words for our adult lives also. We DO NOT need to comply with every request for our time, energy and resources. You don’t need to explain why. The requestor always seems to have a comeback or a rebuttal for your ‘no’. Simply say ‘no’, or ‘I’m sorry, that won’t work for me.’ And leave it at that.

What one thing can you do today to simplify YOUR life?

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK: Day 1 (Household)

Wednesday, August 1^st: A simpler life; it is possible. August 1^st thru 7^th is SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK, sponsored and promoted by The International Society of Friendship and Good Will. Feeling overextended, overpowered, or overwhelmed? Simplifying your life can help you take control of your life. Freeing yourself from commitments, maintenance, people and obligations opens up more time so you can do what you really want to do.

To help celebrate Simplify Your Life Week, we’ll share some simplifying tips and ideas every day for the entire week. For the first day, let’s celebrate by simplifying our households.

• Reduce clutter: Less clutter is less to dust, less to busy up our lives. Do you need it? Do you love it? Does it enhance your life? Have you worn it in the last year? Can you give it away? How much “stuff” do you have that could find a new home?
• Reduce time in the grocery store. Go with a list. Draw up a plan for the week. Buy in bulk.
• Laundry: Stop buying clothes that need to be dry-cleaned. Can you wear it twice? Run full loads of laundry through the washer and dryer, reducing the total number of loads washed.
• Lawns: Replace your lawn with ground cover. Don’t overwater. Don’t rake the grass clippings, leave them on the lawn to help retain moisture, create a natural fertilizer and reduce trash going to the landfill.

What’s one thing you can do today to simplify your life? Celebrate life, celebrate a simpler and more pleasurable life.