Simplify

On New Year’s instead of resolutions, 

I try to find a word to live 

by in the new year. 

Last years word was learn

 – I learned to pay sales tax online, 

start my business, open an etsy shop, 

set up at festivals 

and events in all kinds of weather 

and under interesting conditions.

 I learned I need to be more patience. 

I learned once again to trust my gut feeling 

and if something doesn’t seem right 

to seek a second opinion. 

I survived and persevered despite the obstacles.

I have been thinking what the word 

for this year should be an decided on : 

simplify. 

 It’s time to let go of things 

that no longer enhance or define 

the life I want to live.

sim·pli·fy  [sim-pluh-fahy]  verb : 

to make less complex or complicated;

 make plainer or easier

What would/is your word for the New Year?

The following came from: Work Awesome

1. Figure Out What’s Really Important

Figuring out what’s really important to you,

 what makes you happy and what are the 

goals for your life is the first step towards 

the simplification you aim to achieve.

It’s only when you know what’s really

 important, you can prioritize your tasks 

accordingly and get things done

 without being stressed.

2. Analyze Your Current Routine

Spend a day analyzing how you have been 

spending your days. What is your daily routine

 like? Has it helped with your work? Has it helped 

your health? Are you able to take time out

 for family and friends? Have you been 

prioritizing tasks according to what’s really

 important? Is the routine designed accordingly?

If any of these are out of whack,

 it’s time to change the routine.

3. Overcome Information Overload

Although most of the information we consume 

every day may appear to be “life-saving” at first

 glance, it’s actually avoidable. I’ve talked about 

tips for managing information overload and managing

 your RSS feeds before here at WorkAwesome.

Susan offered tips on managing email overload. 

Did you read and implement the steps suggested? 

If you haven’t yet, it’s time you get started with them.

4. Simplify Household Tasks

Most people don’t realize that household chores

, if not done productively, could easily take 

up a significant chunk of your time. 

It’s important to simplify them.

What are the chores you do every day?

 Which of them have to be done every day?

 How do you organize your household in 

a way that it eliminates many chores? 

These are some questions you need to answer.

5. Get Rid of Things You Don’t Use

Take a look at that old bookshelf that has

 piles of books gathering dust. You never

 read any of them twice. Heck, you didn’t 

even read some of them once! Don’t you think

 you are better off distributing them to someone 

who could benefit from reading them?

The same can be applied to your DVDs, CDs, 

gadgets et al. Either sell them or give them away. Simplify.

6. Don’t Buy Things You Might Not Use

The reason you had that enormous collection

 of books or DVDs in the first place was because

 you bought them thinking they’d be of great help. 

Turns out you were wrong.

So, from now on, only buy things you are 

likely to use — and use often. When it comes

 to books and movies (unless you are a voracious

 reader or a movie buff) you can borrow or rent 

hem instead of buying each new thing that comes out.

7. De-clutter and Organize Your Home & Workplace

Yes, de-clutter. De-clutter your desk,

 de-clutter your desktop,

 de-clutter your workspace. Just get started

 on cleaning up the mess that’s surrounding you.

Make things look clean and simple around you.

 This is an important step in simplifying your life.

8. Go Paperless

If you look around you, most of the clutter

 is constituted by paper in one or 

form or another. So going paperless not only

 makes your work easier and saves you time,

 it also significantly reduces workspace clutter.

I understand that a few tasks need paper.

 But try to use latest tools and software 

as much as possible to get things done.

9. Delegate and Get Help

No matter how organized you are

 — and how easily you can get things done 

— if your work grows, you are bound to

 get overwhelmed if you are doing it all alone.

 And that’s not just for your work, 

but for everything else in your life.

Delegating tasks to others who can do 

it better than you, collaborating with friends

 in various aspects of life, seeking help

 from someone who knows it better…

all this helps to keep you sane 

and carry on with life without 

getting stressed and frustrated.

10. Disconnect Often

Last, and probably the most important step 

in simplifying your life – disconnect often.

 Disconnect from what? From anything that 

has you connected all day. It could be the

 internet for one, a cellphone for another.

 For someone, it might be a musical instrument

 which he just can’t stop playing for hours.

Take a few hours off every week, and a day

 or two off every month from what you do 

every day. Stay disconnected…stay abandoned.

 Spend time with yourself, with something 

you like to do but can’t find time for, 

ith someone you love but don’t have time for,

 with nature. Take time out and thank

 the universe for the life

and the opportunities you’ve got.