Simplify, simplify.
by Karen Henke
Our life is frittered away by detail…Simplify, simplify.
Henry David Thoreau
Your daily life is an accumulation of routines or procedures
that are all interrelated. If one system isn’t working
well it can affect the others. For example if you don’t
have a routine for paying bills or opening mail you may find
yourself with piles of unopened mail cluttering your counter.
Important information could be lost amongst the junk mail.
In addition you may find late charges on your next credit
card statement. That could put you in a bad mood and make
it more difficult to open your mail. What a vicious circle!
Life runs more smoothly when you have simple systems in place.
Notice I said simple. Complex approaches seldom work in the
real world. That which is simple gets used. Once you’ve
simplified there isn’t as much to organize! Try these
four tips to help you create a simpler life.
1) Assess the goods. “Love it or leave it” are words
to live by. (OK, useful can stay.) Reevaluate the things you
own. Experts say we only use 20% of our possessions on a regular
basis. Isn’t there something you could eliminate? Put
it into the hands of someone who will use and appreciate it.
The hidden advantage is that there is less to clean around!
2) Become more efficient. Stop and think about the way you
do things. For example, what is the best way for you to do
laundry? Should you do a load every morning to jump start
your day? Or would it be easier to throw a load in at night
and dry it in the morning?
Take a few minutes to think about how you could streamline
your movements. Wouldn’t it be more efficient if you
planned all of your errands on one day? Simple things like
making a list, can save you from making a second trip to the
store. Business expert, Brian Tracy says that 1 minute of
planning can save you nine more!
3) Add buffers to your schedule. Don’t pack activities
together too tightly. Allow extra time for traffic, weather,
children searching for their hat or making a last minute trip
to the bathroom. If being late is a chronic problem for you,
guesstimate the time it will take and then add a few minutes.
Arriving on time can reduce stress and gets your day off to
a good start.
4)“Simplify, simplify”. Find ways to make it easy
on yourself:
You don’t have to answer the phone every time it rings.
If you are giving the kids a bath, let voice mail or the machine
get it.
If you don’t like to iron, buy permanent press.
If you hate to vacuum, buy a Roomba www.irobot.com.
Answer email all at one sitting, instead of interrupting your
work to answer messages as they come in.
If you hate fighting the crowds, shop online or via catalogs.
When you run errands avoid peak shopping hours.
Consider delivery services. You can get just about anything
delivered these days…groceries, movies, office supplies,
photos processed and delivered, dry cleaning picked up and
returned. The list goes on and on. Investigate these possibilities
when time is tight.
Copyright
2006 Come2Order
Karen Henke is the owner of Come2Order in Minneapolis, MN.
Visit www.come2order2day.com
and request a free Time-Savers Kit which is loaded with time-saving
tips and services. And sign up for a subscription to the free
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