I had a busy week last week – mostly social stuff not work stuff – and in the few hours I was able to work, I realized I needed to simplify my working days. Ordinarily it’s not a problem – I have time in the week to do all the complicated to-do’s…but when time is limited, I realize that I have allowed the to-do’s to become overly complicated. (I need to diarise to check on this every couple of months because I am the queen of overcomplicating life!)
Take my weekly newsletter as an example. Once upon a time it was just an article. Then I added in a weekly Beach Card. Then I added in the freebies. Then there was the perfect image with the title (in 4 different sizes for sharing in 12 different places). Then there was a big introduction piece. Then there was any special offers I might have on or new products to share. Then related articles.
It now takes almost as long to schedule and do all those bits as it does to write the article.
Sheesh. Not a problem when you have the time…but when you don’t, it’s stressful, a big ballache AND you realise that you have (once again) overcomplicated something that should be quite simple!
Time to simplify
It’s not the only thing I’ve overcomplicated recently.
My to do list has gone from beautifully simple to wildly complicated, with the result that most days it’s impossible to get through, stressful and I have no time left for the Major Projects I want to get on with. Aaaaargh.
Well, no more! It’s time to simplify (in this week’s newsletter, I jettisoned half of the sections!). My daily to do list is back down to a manageable number that allows for other work to be done. And I’m implementing the same one in, one out rule in my daily to do list as I do with books! If I want to keep a book (on my already bulging shelves), I have to let go of an old one.
(Honestly, if I had the space, I’d keep every book I ever read…but I’d need a house the size of Buckingham Palace, so that’s not happening.)
So if I want to add a new daily task (ie something I do every day), something else has to go. And as I’m not getting rid of yoga, meditation or dance breaks off that list, the new idea has to be bloody good to get a look in! And this simplification is spreading – tidying, clearing clutter, making space in my home, in my day, on my desk and in my e-mail folders (hoorah for the unsubscribe option).
Simplification makes everything easier. The simpler it is, the easier it is to do or deal with. The simpler things are, the more quickly you can do them…which leaves space to do the things that are most important to you.
Are you overcomplicating your life or biz?
Could you pare it back, simplify, make it easier, tidy up, clear the clutter, cull the toodle-do list, do less, make space, let it be easy? And if you did, what might you fit into your life that you’ve not had time for before?
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