Make it a great year – simplify…something.

People like to have things complicated. Oh, we say we don’t – we read “Real Simple” and make anti-clutter books bestsellers and have all sorts of gadgets with all kinds of apps that are supposed to make things simpler. It seems, though, that a lot of the time we’re putting a lot of complication on top of what could be simple.

Pick something and just make it simple. Maybe it’s your breakfast routine, maybe it’s streamlining housework. Really simplify it – don’t just incorporate a lot of gimmicks. Experiment. Be flexible. Check to see how simplifying in that particular realm works for you. If having the same menu every week for the work nights makes life easier and no one is crying over having to suffer through pizza every Friday, well…does it make things from grocery shopping to planning the evening a bit simpler? Maybe you’re not going to be Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg and adopt a personal uniform to wear every day, but on the other hand…is there an opportunity there to make things simpler?

Every decision takes mental energy. Our brains automatically seek to put things on “auto-pilot” to reserve focus for critical issues. Find ways to cooperate with that survival-friendly function and free up energy, deliberately, for something more compelling than “What to wear?” or, “Gee, what do we feel like eating?”

Dr. Lori Puterbaugh

© 2016

Posts are for information and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed to be therapeutic advice. If you are in need of mental health assistance, please contact a licensed professional in your area.