In my renewed effort to live a simpler, more minimalist life, I first focused on the physical stuff, getting rid of possessions I deemed to be superfluous. However, the true goal of minimalism isn’t just about getting rid of the excess possessions in your life, but rather to live a life of meaning and value.
I’ll tell you right up front that I don’t have all the answers. What I have done is try to absorb ideas from those already living a minimalist lifestyle or leaning towards minimalism (simplicity/ essentialism or whatever you want to call it). Then I try some of the ideas and figure out what works for me or how I can adapt them. I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all minimalism.
One area I have worked on is minimizing the quantity of to-do lists in my daily life. Over the years I’ve tried many methods to complete everything on my task lists, but somehow the lists just got longer as the week went on. I pushed unfinished tasks to the next day and the next. My to-do lists were more like wanna-do lists. So what’s worked me?
First, I created a general framework for the week to provide consistency without being too rigid. Second, I converted the regular tasks (musts and wants) into habits, so I don’t have to think too much about them. Finally, I do my best to keep it simple.
You may have come across this old rhyme before, especially if you like reading about life in the past: Wash on Monday, Iron on Tuesday, Mend on Wednesday, Churn on Thursday, Bake on Saturday, Rest on Sunday. I don’t churn or mend, but I like the idea of assigning themes to each day. The cofounder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, did this with his workweek: management meetings on Mondays, product development on Tuesdays, and so on (McKeown 212). While listening to the podcast, Optimal Daily Living, I noticed that podcaster Justin Malik had begun referring to “Minimalist Monday” or “Wellness Wednesday” for his topic choices.
As literary person, I latched on to alliteration for my own weekday labels: Minimalist Monday, Technology Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, and Finishing Friday. When I get a medical bill, I put it aside and deal with it on Wednesday (in contrast to the past when I’d forget until the second reminder). On Tuesdays I may listen to a podcast or read an article about technology, clean out my inbox, or research the best way to back-up files. I don’t enjoy dealing with technology, but I can handle it once a week. In the early months of the year, I change this to Taxing Tuesday until I submit my tax forms. Friday is reserved for finishing anything I didn’t get to. I may write down a specific task for a day, but I generally keep to my themes. How you organize your week is very individual, but having a general frame can be useful (especially for procrastinators like yours truly).
What about the daily lists? We all have some necessary tasks that we let slide. My solution has been to create morning and evening routines and keep at them until they became habits. Then I no longer need to worry about them. When I was just beginning to develop these routines, I tried to make up a cute acronym to remind myself, but that never really worked. In the end, I wrote out the routines on post-it notes and checked them until the activities became habits. Now I barely think about it.
Sure, I still have other things I may need to do during the day, but I keep it simple and limit my list to the three most important tasks, which I have read is the most effective way. The day is a lot more manageable when I’ve prioritized the top three instead of my previous long lists of tasks and sub-tasks.
Minimalizing your day—the impossible dream? No, not if you plan and prioritize. Some days may feel like they couldn’t be more jam-packed with busyness, but it really is possible to simplify, slow down, and stop to smell the roses.
RESOURCES
Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits–to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
The 5 A.M. Miracle: Dominate Your Day Before Breakfast
The Productivity Project: Accomplishing More by Managing Your Time, Attention, and Energy
For more resources, go to this page: Resources
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That has taken the pressure to perform off me. I have tried it this week and found I floated through the week without taking things so seriously. Thank you.
Thanks! So glad it’s working for you. I continually remind myself because it’s so easy to get off track!