Less is more
How much stuff is too much stuff and why you need to care
Did you know it is estimated the average home has over 300,000 items? Just think about how many items your home and office/place of work has?
Now think about how these items take up your time, space and energy; think about how much money you spent, how much time you spend to maintain them, whether they drain your energy or provide you with value and enjoyment.
Too much stuff can make you feel weighed down, anxious, lacking focus and even overwhelmed. If you become tethered to 'stuff' you might be unconsciously making decisions around the stuff, instead of what your true values are. And let's not forget how our overall consumerism is impacting the planet and wildlife. How much wrapping and plastic came with your stuff, that ends up in landfill or oceans.
The Minimalists
The Minimalists, (Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus) have gained a massive following helping people live a more simple and meaningful work/life. You might have seen their highly rated documentary Minimalism on Netflix. If not, I invite you to - it provides pause for thought.
I was fortunate to have personally caught up with The Minimalists in Perth as part of their Less is Now tour in 2018. Very casual, generous and down to earth guys, we talked Rottnest Island and the importance of quality downtime and living/working with purpose and intentionality. Work, Rest and Play
For business peeps, they recommended Essentialism, book Greg McKeon, (Thank you guys!) as a must read! This inspired me to redevelop time management, productivity, passion, purpose and organisation into actionable steps that flow within foundations of a simple concept. Find out more on my Essentialism page
No matter what minimalism or decluttering system you adopt, remember you make it work for you. Create guidelines not too many hard rules. Don't get pulled into other peoples beliefs of what minimalism is or isn't. E.g. 'you are a minimalist if you only have 3 pieces of furniture or no furniture, or live out of a backpack'. If it adds value to your life - then that is yours to determine, not a unit of measure.
Useful tips
They also shared useful ways to simplify and here are quick steps to get started (and you can apply this to work/life)
When we talk about decluttering, it isn't just physical clutter - though it is a good place to start. It is releaseing what we are tethered to, that prevents or is in the way of fulfillment, contentment and a meaningful work/life. Spend less and spend on what provides value and meaning.
Starting with physical declutter: lets keep it simple and do-able TODAY....
- Find 1 physical item that does not add value and donate it to someone who can gain value
- Next, identify 1 belief, habit, item, situation or person you feel tethered to and image what it would be like if you were unthered.
- Begin to explore ways to simplfy it, change it, or release it. Start with something relatively easy to gain a quick win and build confidence and momentum.
- Create a plan to live and work more simply so you can add value (make even more a difference)
Love people, use things, because the opposite never works. The Minimalists
From talking with the guys, I have reworked my finances, decluttered my apartment, changed the way I go about my digital world, and I am more in tune with what I value. (Oh and I also lost 40 kg). Focus on what is meaningful and adds value and let go of the rest - and yes, over time is fine. We are all individuals with our own beliefs, habits and values - consistent small progress is better than no progress.
What are your top work/life decluttering tips?