I can’t even tell you how often I call my mother for guidance when I’m stressed and overwhelmed. Mom is the best listener, and she’s super understanding. She always starts by asking, “When was the last time you ate anything?” or “How much sleep did you get last night?” Haha. She also gives great advice. Typically, my little meltdowns occur when I’ve overcomplicated my life, and have taken on way too much. So today I’m sharing my tips–passed down to me from Mom–for simplifying your life!
1. Get enough sleep and maintain your health. Oh boy. This is so important, and yet it’s the first thing that flies out the window when things get crazy. I constantly have to remind myself that life will go on if I don’t tackle every single task on my to-do list on a given day, and that I’ll actually be more productive–and be happier–if I’m well-rested and well-fed. Once the school year ends, I’m going to really start focusing on getting exercise, too.
2. Maintain a calendar. It’s the best way to ensure that you don’t take on too much. Make sure to refer to your calendar frequently, Mom says. If you do, you’ll be more organized and less likely to overbook yourself. I use Google Calendar, since it allows me to seemlessly separate my personal, work and blog schedules. Mom, however, maintains a paper calendar, and has for years. She’s a visual person, and likes being able to see an entire month all at once. What do you prefer? I’m thinking about switching over to a paper-version next year!
3. Make time for yourself. Over the last couple of weeks–in anticipation of this post–I’ve made a concerted effort to be completely unproductive for at least one hour per day, and it’s made a huge difference in my life. I’m happier and more relaxed–and I feel like I’ve become more focused on what’s actually important in my life. I’ve also found that I have more motivation the following day, and am therefore more productive in the long-run! What do you do to relax? I’ve been reading, taking walks around the city with Mitch, listening to music, and watching TV. (Something I never do!) It’s been really nice, haha.
4. Embrace minimalism. Having too much stuff can be suffocating. My apartment is small–we don’t even have walls–so keeping our possessions to a minimum is a must. Last year, Mitch and I went through our apartment and gave away or trashed anything we didn’t actually need. I felt such a sense of relief. We now spend less time cleaning and looking for things. So much nicer. Something else I do to eliminate clutter is making sure I stay on top of my closet. I regularly go through it–especially at the start and end of seasons–and sell or donate items I don’t wear anymore. Mom says having a filing system–either paper or electronic–helps, too.
5. Spend time with the people you love. It’s what life is all about. Last year, I said yes to nearly every blog-related opportunity. While it certainly helped me grow as a blogger, it took away from my personal life. I’ve been trying to reserve most of my free time for my family and friends, and it’s made a significant impact on my happiness. Finding a balance is so, so important! Nothing makes me happier than being with my favorite people. :)
A big thanks to my mother for helping me with this post. Love you so much, Mom. You’re my best friend, cheerleader, and role model. Happy Mother’s Day!
And now for the fun part! :) Today, I’ve teamed up with some fabulous bloggers for an amazing Mother’s Day giveaway that would help anyone simplify their life… a $200 gift card to Amazon! To enter to win, complete the entries using the Rafflecopter widget below. The more entries you complete, the more chances you have to win the $200 gift card! The giveaway will be open to all U.S. residents through May 25 at 12 a.m.
Coupons.com has another great Mother’s Day giveaway going on right now for all supermoms – with a chance to win a Vitamix, $500 Sephora gift card and more. If you are still looking for a gift for the supermom in your life, check out these Mother’s Day deals. (There’s a little something for everyone!)
