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Oftentimes, we get so caught up with whatever that’s going on in our lives at the moment that we start to forget the reasons behind why we do what we do. It is easy to be swept up into the whirlwind of never ending tasks, too exhausted to make the most of life but also too busy to make a change. Sometimes, life feels so draining and we feel like we are dragging ourselves through the days.
When we stop to think about it, we actually spend a lot of our time doing things that don’t really matter. And I don’t mean things like hobbies or relaxing or anything unproductive— after all, happiness is a journey not a destination. What I mean is things that you, personally, would rather not spend your time, energy and money on. By this definition, things that “don’t matter” are things that don’t matter TO YOU.
This is where the minimalist lifestyle comes in. There are many tips and guides out there on how to lead a minimalist lifestyle, but it all boils down to one mantra: Avoid the unnecessary.
Benefits
The most straightforward result of a minimalist lifestyle is having fewer material possessions. Getting rid of unnecessary belongings reduces the time and energy required to clean, maintain and organize them. Clothes that are seldom worn, old devices that barely work, books that will not be read again and so on. With fewer material possessions comes a smaller financial burden. taking the constant worries about budgeting out of the way.
Furthermore, the act of seeing a less cluttered environment around you has actually been scientifically proven to affect both physical and mental health. A neater environment can change the brain such that memory, focusing abilities and information processing are enhanced. A neater area also has been linked to better digestion, cardiovascular health, and better sleep. Some studies even showed a link between the tidiness of an environment and healthy eating habits.
In the end, it results in more time, energy and resources for you to spend on the things you actually want to do, or that can help you achieve your long term goals. The minimalist approach can be divided into three categories.
Decluttering your Space
This category is probably the simplest place to start adopting the minimalist lifestyle. It involves evaluating your current belongings and discarding some of them. The same elimination process has to be applied to all future spending as well. Good places to start are clothing, accessories, decor and any other common impulse buys. As you progress further, even furniture, vehicles and homes can be streamlined.
The Minimalists, two of the most prominent creators in the minimalism scene, suggest using the 90/90 rule to determine whether an object should be kept. The rule states that if you used an object in the last 90 days, or will be using it in the next 90 days, it can stay. Otherwise, into the bin it goes.
Tidying expert Marie Kondo suggests an ingenious method to ease parting with objects that are defunct but retain sentimental value. She does so by saying thank you (yes, to an inanimate object!) for serving its purpose and then gratefully letting it go.
Reducing Responsibilities
Because it is not readily in your line of sight, it is easy to forget that not all your money goes to physical goods. A portion is also spent on non-physical possessions. Examples include subscriptions like Netflix and Spotify. With more and more of such subscriptions available, it might be useful to reconsider whether they are really necessary.
Other non-tangible things to consider streamlining are credit cards, banking accounts. These usually have extra service fees and combining them into one can actually help you to save more.
Clearing the Mind
Overthinkers often have unwelcome thoughts plaguing their minds that are not useful in achieving whatever they want to achieve. While cutting out responsibilities can help greatly to reduce the number of things to worry about, sometimes it’s just not enough to keep those sneaky thoughts away. This is where you have to condition your mind to stop wandering pointlessly and instead focus on more significant matters.
A good diet and regular exercise is always the top recommendation to boost overall health. This study reports that mental health is improved by more than 40 percent in those who exercise as compared to those who do not.
A controversial alternative to clear the mind would be the use of cannabis. In recent years, recreational marijuana has made its way into the mainstream and many states are starting to open up. However, opinions regarding this topic are still pretty inconsistent and it is important to make sure you do your own research before trying it.
Cannabis, like any other substance that you take into your body, has to be regulated by the relevant authorities first and there are rules put in place. For example, New Jersey, the most recent state to legalise recreational marijuana, requires that marijuana dispensaries obtain the New Jersey Cannabis Retail License 2021 before operating.
Another great way to clear your mind and understand things better would be to take time out of each day to do journaling or meditation. These practices allow you to have a space to consolidate thoughts and events amidst a chaotic schedule.
