Simplify Your Day

Photo by J. J.

I admit I’m guilty as charged. I used to take the car to do groceries when I had to go two blocks down the road. I made justifications for everything.

A lot of times I just didn’t want to bother myself carrying the stuff all the way down the street. Other times it would drizzle or I’d be in a hurry. All poor excuses. I happy to announce those excuses are history.

Now I am walking and cycling more than ever. An eye opener and relief to my simplicity lifestyle. I had almost forgotten how truly great it is to walk or take the bike.

You create a different mindset. You feel less rushed and more relaxed. You get less agitated and feel more calm and happier. You feel free. Free from the herd. It has becoming a blessing.

Experience it yourself: Continue reading →

Photo by PAlessandro Valli
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment” – Buddha

Let’s take a look at how to simplify your mind: Continue reading →

Photo by Pablo Gómez
We all know those moments when we can’t find our keys, our wallet, etc. It always happens at an inconvenient time.

It seems like the moment you are in a real hurry everything is missing at the same time and the world is turning against you.

You become agitated, stressed out, you start yelling at your partner who, you think, probably hid it somewhere.

You run out out the door, you trip over something, people are standing in your way, you get stuck in traffic and you arrive too late at your work or at an important meeting. It’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back and it’s not worth the trouble.

Today is a new day. Simplify and organize!

Here are the tips:

- Missing keys
Learn to put your keys in one place so you can always find them. Don’t let the situation I just mentioned happen to you ever again. Hammer a nail on the wall and hang them up there or put your keys in a basket or bowl. Always put them in the same place. Force yourself to do it.

If you are not used to this it will take some time for it to become a habit, but hold on. Be strict to yourself. Be disciplined and soon it becomes a routine. It will make life so much easier. You’ll love it. Simple things can make a big change. Continue reading →

Photo by Declan Jewell
Becoming paperless is on the one hand quite a task to fulfill and on the other hand something you’ll enjoy for the rest of your life.

I am now busy becoming paperless and I am halfway there. I already reap the benefits and I am happy I have taken this step.

For me as a musician I can now access my sheetmusic really fast wherever I want without having to search through a pile of papers. I think everyone can really benefit from a paperless office in their own way.

Also the feeling of simplicity that goes with it suits my lifestyle and I see more and more possibilities as my paperless office progresses.

Here are the major benefits of becoming paperless:

- You are going to have all your documents on your computer and uploaded to an online storage space. (A safe back up)

- You can acces all your documents from anywhere in the world. You just need a laptop or IPad and you can run your business from anywhere. You can also go to a public library or internet cafe and work there. Continue reading →

Photo by Tiare Scott
If I start the day walking into a cluttered room, I will feel like I’m already behind schedule and it doesn’t exactly set a good mood.

It doesn’t make me want to achieve any goals nor does it give me any positive energy.

On the other hand a decluttered room makes a great start to the day. The look of simplicity in a room makes me feel at ease and makes me want to be creative. It determines my mindset for the rest of the day.

I usually wake up early to enjoy the sunrise with a nice cup of tea. Then I start being productive.

Doing this in a room that does not distract me from what I want to do and at the same time giving me a feeling of well being is just what I need.

I get inspired in an invoirment where there is enough space to let my imagination run wild.

Everyday I like to get a certain amount of good work done. It works best if I can concentrate on what I am busy with, without having to worry about all the stuff that is lying around or stuff that I can not find.

Pure efficiency, pure serenity.

Here are 5 benefits that will make your life a whole lot easier: Continue reading →

Photo by Thomas & Dianne Jones
Waking up early is one of the best changes I made in my life. I gradually increased my wake up time. I went from 8 a.m. to 7 a.m. After a week I went from 7 a.m. to 6 a.m. and finally going from 6 a.m. to 5 a.m.

It’s great to have all that extra time and do the things I love to do: Playing guitar, running my business from home, writing blogs, writing songs, working out, running, reading and spending lots of time with my wife and children.

It’s the greatest reward and reminder for waking up early.

I wake up early at least 5 days a week. I like to wake up early two or three days in a row and then one day sleep late. (7.30 a.m.) At night I go to bed at 11 p.m. Not a minute later. If I go to bed at 12 p.m. and try to wake up early it won’t work.

I tried many different ways and figured out the one that worked best for me. I think this is different for everyone so you have to experiment with this. Originally I am a night owl and waking up early is not something that came naturally for me, but it has become a habit and it’s the best thing ever!

Here are 15 ways and benefits to make this thing work:

1 – Excitement
You got to have at least one or two good reasons that will make you want to jump out of bed of Excitement. When that alarm clock goes off you got to know what you are doing it for. A dream goal or something you are incredibly passionate about are reasons that work pretty well. Build up that excitement the night before, so when it’s time to wake up you are still on steroids. Continue reading →

Photo by Boris SV
Living my passion has always been the number one priority to me. I managed to do this to create time for the things I truly love.

The only way to succeed in finding and living your passion is to create time for it and use it wisely.

The three things that created more time for me and changed my life in a huge way is waking up early, working less and simplifying my life.

Simplifying is a philosophy that is challenging and rewarding in every aspect. It has truly made me a happier person and I now have time for just about anything that I love to do, playing guitar, writing, working out, running and spending time with my family.

Here are 36 ways to create more time so you can start doing the things you love most:

1. Stop answering every single phone call. Let the answering machine do his work.
2. Send less mail. You’ll receive less mail.
3. Put a no junk mail sign on your door to stop unaddressed junk mail. Stop reading adds.
4. Have less commitments or obligations.
5. Stop spending time with people who suck the life out of you.
6. Put away your mobile phone. SMS less and you’ll receive less SMS.
7. Turn of the TV.
8. Stick to priorities. Don’t start doing things that come second place because they are easier to do.
9. Set a time limit for things to do. This way you won’t waste anytime. Continue reading →

Photo by Raquel Baranow
This morning I was talking to my wife about how simplicity has had a major impact on my health.

I have suffered from Irritable Bowel Syndrome from an early age and I have tried anything that would reduce the symptoms of this syndrome. I won’t bother you with all the details but not really much helped.

Since a few years I have simplified my life in many aspects and I can tell you how much of an impact it has on my IBS. I feel better than ever. A big part of the improvement is caused by doing less and doing what I love.

Simplicity is all about going back to the basics. People have forgotten how it is to live a simple life. Nowadays it’s all about multitasking, producing more, buying more, working more, making more money and living larger.

The downside or better said, the danger is that it will increase your stress level, you’ll be more anxious, edgy, tired, downhearted, less satisfied and eventually you’ll be worn out. And because everybody is, we almost think it is normal.

Now on the other hand a healthier life through simplicity will give you more energy, it will slow down your age process, increase your lifespan, you’ll be more focused, more productive, more creative, more happier and more content.

So let’s take a look at what you can do to live a healthy life through simplicity: Continue reading →

Photo by Only Sequel
Since a few years I have been gradually simplifying my life. It has been the best choice I have ever made.

I am still simplifying, learning to love less and growing everyday. It has a profound impact on my family life and it has a great influence on my business, passions (playing guitar, writing, reading and doing sports) and overall happiness.

For most people it seems hard to be content with less. Why should you want less if you can have more? Well, the problem is that a lot of people only look at the short term happiness of having more and not at the benefits of having less. They look at the disadvantage of having less but don’t worry about the long term detriment of wanting and having more.

~ Being content with less needs a shift in your thinking.

It will open up a whole need world of possibilities, opportunities, ideas and creativity. The truth is that you are not going to have less, but you are going to have more. That is the beauty of simplifying and living with less. Less is really more.

Here are some examples of how to be content with less: Continue reading →