How to stop talking about simplifying: and simplify

I fall into this trap all the time: talking about simplifying. And I am not alone. It’s no wonder we get caught up in the rhetoric. As I prepared to write my post this week, I found an abundance of articles, each with a different opinion on how best to simplify. It’s apparently not that simple! With so many different perspectives, it’s easier to talk about it than to actually make changes in our lives. But this week, let’s approach this in a new way. I have a number of suggestions to help you stop talking about simplifying: and simplify.

First, acknowledge that simplicity is hard

As I noted from the many articles about simplifying, it’s really a complex concept. We can simplify everything from our possessions to our time to our money. We discuss making space mentally, physically and in our calendar. And we can shift from macro level, or “big picture,” to the micro level and specific types of simplifying, such as decluttering your home or your inbox

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, said:

“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

Steve Jobs

Second, write down what is essential to you

Getting your thinking clean starts with understanding what is most important to you. While the topic of simplifying is surprisingly complicated, most experts agree that the core concept of simplicity is to eliminate all but the essential. Many of today’s top book titles and blogs discuss essentialism, minimalism, or “less is more.”

Truthfully, understanding what is essential is an individual process. And it’s more difficult in today’s world of plenty, of excess, of wants more than needs. The consumerism of the past few decades often blinds us to knowing what we actually need or even want.

So you can see how it’s important to understand what is essential to you. Reflect on it. Write it down.

Third, start simplifying everything

Now that you have acknowledged that simplicity is not easy and written down your essentials, it’s time to begin the hard work of simplifying. This is perhaps the hardest step. Simplifying everything is much harder than it sounds — and much easier. When we approach simplifying as a lifelong process rather than a one-time task, we begin to make progress.

“One day she woke up and decided to simplify everything.”

Marylou Falstreau

Just like that, we can stop talking about simplifying: and simplify. It becomes a daily choice. Begin to think about simplification at every opportunity and your life will become more simple.

Questions to help you simplify

Here are a few simplifying questions you can ask yourself throughout the day, even multiple times in a day:

• What am I making space for in my life that is not essential?
• What can I remove or say ‘no’ to today?
• How can I streamline this activity?
• How can I convey this concept more simply?
• What can I do to make this process more efficient?
• What have I been putting off that I can do today?
• Do I need to do this task or can I take it off my list?
• How can I take charge of this area of my life?
• Where can I create routines that reduce the number of decisions I need to make?
• How can I “batch process” to consolidate tasks into more efficient timelines?

Asking ourselves questions about our daily lives keeps us present to the choices we are making. This process helps us think more clearly and avoid making life overly complicated.

Simplifying is a process not just a conversation

When we find simplicity in our daily lives, we can stop talking about simplifying: and simplify, one step at a time. In reality, you may find that you talk about simplifying a lot — but it will be because you are doing something about it, not struggling to figure it out. Let’s spend our time doing what is important to us! I’d love to hear your thoughts on what it means to you to live simply.

May you seek God’s wisdom and know deep in your bones what is most essential to you. May you remove the excess to focus on the essential. And may you find peace as you live simply and intentionally.