No matter what we do in our lives, we’re all going to encounter stress at some point. For some of us, we experience stress often; and for a lot of us, we encounter stressful situations every day. The reality is that stress is unavoidable – it's going to be near impossible to live a stress-free life completely.
However, some of those stressors you are in control of, which means that you have the power to de-stress and cut out some of the things in your life that are causing it. One way to do this is to simplify your life. A lot of the time having more things to do in life equals more stress, so cutting out the non-essentials can make all the difference. Let's take a look at five ways to de-stress by simplifying your life.
- Get Rid of the Clutter
Even if you’re busy with work and kids a lot of the time, there’s a good chance that you spend quite a bit of time at home. What does your home environment look like? Have you got a lot of stuff taking up space?
The space that is around you at home reflects your inward self, so if you’ve got a cluttered space, you’re more than likely cluttered inside as well. Getting rid of the clutter in your immediate environment can help make your environment less stressful overall.
- Less is More
Once you’ve gotten rid of the clutter, you’ll need to think about your spending habits and whether they line up with your new environment. The reality is that it is going to be difficult to keep your home tidy if you keep purchasing things to fill it up with again.
You'd be amazed at how much you can cut down on the things you buy when you just think about the things that you need. Remember, fewer purchases means less stuff, which means less room for clutter and stress.
- Try a Digital Detox
How much time do you spend on your phone each day? How much does it impact on your everyday life, and how much do you wish that you could get away from it every now and then? If it feels like you’re always looking at your phone, consider doing a digital detox where you set aside intentional time to not be on it.
Research shows that being on our devices for long periods of time can cause stress and anxiety, so try to reduce this by keeping an eye on how much time you’re spending staring at a screen.
- Don’t Compare
Are you someone who often compares yourself to others in your life? With social media these days, it’s easier than ever to look at someone else’s life and think that they have got everything together. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
What can be dangerous, though, is when you start to believe that they actually do, and you start to compare what you see on Instagram with your own life. This, unfortunately, is an easy way to get stressed – but it doesn’t have to be. To cut down on the stress, try to stop comparing yourself to others, and spend more time focusing on your own goals and priorities.
- Enjoy the Small Things
Every now and then, try to slow life down a little bit and enjoy the small things. Too often, we get caught up in the busyness of life and forget to slow down and 'smell the roses,' as they say. Try to be intentional about taking time out to notice the small things.
Focusing on the smaller things can really make a difference to your perspective. It can help you rationalize things, and realize that a lot of what you stress about doesn’t need to be a thing at all.
