🌻How to Live a More Simple Life

5 rules I live by that can help you become more mindful and intentional.

How to live a more simple life
“To be simple means to make a choice about what’s important, and let go of all the rest. When we are able to do this, our vision expands, our head clears, and we can better see the details of our lives in all their incredible wonder and beauty.” — John Daido Loori, an author

Living a simple life just doesn’t happen. It requires being intentional, thoughtful, and disciplined.

If you have ever coached a children’s sports team, then you know how critical it is to explain the game’s simple rules. I have coached my kids’ soccer teams and found that these rules are crucial to the team’s success.

Read also: 5 simple ways to improve your morning routine (Highly recommended)

In my life, some rules help me stay on the path of living a simple life.

“It’s your game: make up your own rules.” — Barbara Corcoran, an American businesswoman

These rules help me embrace simplicity, slow down, and live in the present moment. They have helped me rethink what’s important to me.

“You have to learn the rules of the game, and then you have to play better than anyone else.” — Albert Einstein, a theoretical physicist

Here are five straightforward life rules I live by daily to help me live a simple life. Perhaps they can help you with your life.

Rule #1. Sharpen My Saw

Stephen Covey, an American educator, author, and businessman, says one of his habits of highly effective people is something he calls “sharpen the saw.” He says that you must preserve and enhance the greatest asset you have. That asset is you.

This is the number one rule I live by. I take time to help me stay sharp like a saw. Covey tells the story that sums up nicely:

Suppose you met someone in the woods working hard to saw down a tree.
“What are you doing?” you ask.
“Can’t you see?” comes the impatient reply. “I’m sawing down this tree.”
“You look exhausted!” — you exclaim. “How long have you been at it?”
“Over five hours,” he returns, “I’m beat! This is hard work.”
“Well, why don’t you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen that saw?” you inquire. “I’m sure it would go a lot faster.”
“I don’t have time to sharpen the saw,” the man says emphatically. “I’m too busy sawing!”

This story shows that life is about self-care. I will succeed in the long run by sharpening my saw in my professional and personal life. I will have a healthier immune system, be less stressed, make better decisions, and have fewer serious health problems.

Key takeaway

I can stay sharp by focusing on taking care of myself.

Rule #2. Prioritize

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” — Stephen Covey, an American educator

Each day is filled with tons of choices. They range from what you wear, what you eat, and what you do. These options leave many of us feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

It is crucial to simplify my decision-making and prioritize. I have five areas that I focus on every day to help me with my priorities. I make these pillars a top priority:

family
job
side hustle
exercise
relaxation and sleep
I spend most of my time and money in these main areas. It helps to figure out your pillars for living and what matters to you regarding your time. They can give you a framework for living a simple life.

I measure my success by how well I do in my personal and professional life. I strive to accomplish a balance of the two.

Furthermore, I focus my time and energy on meaningful tasks that must get done that day. I focus on what’s important, not urgent.

I try hard not to become blindsided by others hijacking my day with their priorities. I don’t let others’ emergency tasks become my emergency tasks.

Key takeaway

I work hard to prioritize my day and adjust my priorities throughout the day.

Rule #3. Trust My Gut

The older I get, the more I trust my gut. When I was younger, I would go against my gut, leading me down paths I shouldn’t go. Too many of us say “yes” to things we don’t want to do and say “no” to things we want to do.

If my gut says “yes,” I do it. It’s simple. However, it can be hard to implement sometimes because I am like others and overthink things, especially big decisions. When I trust my intuition and team it up with analytical thinking, I make better, faster, and more accurate decisions.

When I trust my gut, I can adapt to changes in my personal and professional life. My gut is a reasonably accurate way to make decisions in my life. When I go against it, I make worse choices than trusting my intuition.

Life is about making hard choices, and I try not to let my “ego” get in the way of following my gut. I often know what I should do but don’t do it.

Key takeaway

It can be challenging, but I have learned over the years that my gut knows what is best for me.

Rule #4. Take Breaks and Rest

You may get eight hours of sleep, but you still feel tired. Why? You need to get more rest. Rest restores your overall health — mind, emotions, and social being. In addition to rest, you must take breaks throughout the day. Breaks are not bad; they will help you be more productive.

One of the rules I live by is getting enough rest and taking enough breaks. Breaks recharge my batteries and help me focus and concentrate. Work can be challenging, so I don’t make it tougher on myself by not taking breaks.

We all have a temptation to get our to-do list done for the day and think that by working through our breaks, we will get more stuff done. That’s not true. Breaks and rest enhance our daily productivity.

Rest and breaks are often overlooked when it comes to productivity. To ensure I have the energy, I need different types of rest, such as physical, mental, creative, sensory, and emotional. I have realized that rest differs from sleep, and I need both.

Key takeaway

Rest and breaks help me with the 3 Rs of relaxation, refocus, and recharge.

Rule #5. Have a Beginner’s Mindset

A beginner’s mindset is about approaching every situation like a beginner and seeing something for the first time. Regardless of my experience in life, I am open-minded to everything and listen to others without judging.

I have realized that I can obtain more knowledge and be more creative when I take a beginner’s mindset. This rule helps me discover insights and learn valuable wisdom. It helps me grow.

To cultivate a beginner’s mindset, I am curious, take one step at a time, and observe how my children approach new activities. They ask a lot of questions. When I approach situations, I like to clear my mind and let go of my ego as much as possible.

If I am open, humble, and have a positive attitude, I can succeed in any situation in my life. Our attitude is one of the things we can control in life.

If I approach life with a beginner’s mindset, I can get rid of preconceived notions, allowing me to accept people and encounter life circumstances without judgment.

Read also: 9 eye-opening questions that will skyrocket your personal growth

Key takeaway

My personal growth begins and ends with a beginner mindset of knowing that I know nothing.

Bringing It All Together

“The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t.” — Joshua Becker, an author

There are five simple rules I live by daily. Sharpen my saw, prioritize, trust my gut, take breaks and rest, and have a beginner’s mindset. These rules are my “owner’s manual.” I hope it inspires you to figure out your rules.

To live a simple life, you must have simple rules. Remember, simple doesn’t translate to easy. Simple means clear, straightforward, and direct. It means being intentional, thoughtful, and disciplined in everything you do.

“Simplicity boils down to two things: identify the essential and eliminate the rest.” — Leo Babauta, an author about Zen habits

Contributed by Matthew Royse

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