Simplify Your Life: Better Health & Happiness in 15 Steps

April Archives- Each Thursday of April we will throwback to some of LiveWell's most popular posts from the past! This blog was originally posted in 2014.

Could you benefit from slowing down and reducing your stress? Do you wish you had more time for relaxation and fun? If your answer is YES, read on...

It's amazing to think about what many of us are willing to put up with day in and day out...very long work hours, sacrificing vacation time, missing out on their children's milestones, or maybe even suffering from a few stress-related illnesses. 

This begs the question: for all that we are sacrificing, how many of us are truly happy? Could it be that the quest for happiness is not in how many hours we work in a week, but in how many we can thoroughly enjoy? With this in mind, we urge you to consider the following tips to help get you started in freeing up more time for relaxation and fun! 

1. Decide what's most important to you. Center your life around these items. This may mean cutting out other activities to make room for those that count the most.
2. Turn off all communication devices at a set time each night. This includes your cell phone, computer, television, pager and fax. Better yet, try to reduce your daily use of these communication tools as well. We don't need to be within "reach" all the time. This, in itself, can cause us more stress.
3. Learn to say no. Saying "no" is not selfish. Doing so is about taking care of YOU. It's about survival and living the life that YOU choose...not for someone else.
4. Resign from anything that doesn't make you happy. Make a list of your commitments and honestly ask yourself how each of them contributes to your happiness. If they don't, consider renegotiating your commitments.
5. Set up as much of your life as possible on autopilot. For instance, set up your bills to be paid automatically online, have your paycheck directly deposited into your account, and hire a pet sitter to come and walk your dog every day at lunchtime. A simple routine of how you go about your day can also ease your stress levels. Try making a "To Do" list the night before and using it as a check system throughout the following day.
6. Delegate. If you can't figure out how to do certain tasks on autopilot, consider finding family, friends or coworkers who may be able to do them for you. The more you can delegate, the more weight you'll feel lifted off your shoulders. At the same time, you may be empowering others and giving them a sense of self worth.
7. Get rid of clutter. Clutter at home or at the office can make your life feel more complicated than necessary. Clutter-free space may help to feel at peace and give you the ability to be more positive and productive.
8. Avoid buying more stuff. Not only will buying more items require you to figure out how to pay for it, but you'll have to figure out a place to put it (in your now clutter-free home or office). Before you buy something new, ask yourself whether or not you truly need it and where you plan to put it. Chances are that you really didn't need it in the first place.
9. When you do your cooking, cook more than you need for one meal. Be sure to portion out what you and your family will eat and then freeze the leftovers for a quick meal when you're short on time or use them later in the week.
10. Redesign your day. What takes up the most and least time in your day? Carefully evaluate how you spend your daily time, then reorganize it so you have time for what's most important to you. The three hours of television or playing on the computer can likely be cut down to one or two, leaving plenty of time to work in a little exercise or some quiet time with your family or yourself.
11. Take your time when you eat. Eating slowly helps you appreciate your food and take a break from a busy day. Taking the time to eat can also be a helpful portion control strategy, as research shows that individuals who eat more slowly tend to eat far less food.
12. Live in the moment. Help your mind to slow down by appreciating every moment as it comes, even if you're doing something you'd rather not be. By living in the moment, you only think about what's going on right now, not what you'll be doing in 10 minutes or what needs to get done by 5:00.
13. Spend time alone AND with family/friends. Many people feel cheated in life in that they don't have time to just read a book, enjoy a hobby or simply contemplate life. Likewise, many would enjoy more time to spend together with their family and friends. Make time for both in your life, even if it means saying no to something or someone else.
14. Do one thing at a time. When you try to do too many things at once, you'll find nothing gets done very quickly or well. By focusing on just one thing - one goal, one dream, one task at work, one question, one conversation - the task will get done with more thoughtfulness and less stress on your part. 
15. Practice positive thinking. Positive energy and emotion may help to broaden your thinking, expand your awareness, increase your abilities, build your resiliency, offset negatives, generate new possibilities, and create an upward spiral of learning and growth.