Simplify Life and Save Time and Money

Living Simply Means Having More Time for What Matters

May 23, 2009

It is the human relationships and how life is lived that makes for happiness and a life well lived, not material purchases.

Often a key life event makes people stop and think, "Is what I am doing in life serving me, and am I living my values?"

Living by One's Own Values

In carving out a career, particularly in the early years one often measures success in terms of things and money. Of course, when setting up a home buying stuff can make life easier, and gadgets and cars can express one's new wealth.

But is easy to simply carry on as the years pass, and get sucked into living according to other people's values. It is a valuable exercise to take time out to consider the really important priorities in life. Have these priorities changed, without becoming aware of the changes?

Marketers are in the business of trying to persuade the public to adopt their values, and go out and buy the products supposed to make people happier and life easier. A more subtle message promotes the lifestyle associated with the brand. It is easy to end up chasing consumer goods, pushing oneself at work to earn more money and attending less to the relationships that add colour and meaning to life.

Eliminate Clutter and Embrace Simplicity

Buying things can give a rush of short-term reward, but it also complicates life. A new purchase has to be stored, insured, mastered in use, and paid for through a hard earned wage. It's worth knowing just how much time will be spent at work earning the money to pay for it.

Divide annual net income after paying taxes by the number of hours worked a year. That is the amount worked per hour. Now divide the price of that new gadget by the hourly rate, and that is how many hours at work it takes to make enough money to buy it. All of a sudden it may not seem so attractive!

Focus on the Things That Matter, Like Human Relationships, Not Work

It is often interactions with people, not with things, that lead to happiness once the basic needs for food, shelter and security have been met.

There is a whole industry trying to persuade the public that buying things or services bring happiness. This message is reinforced countless times a day, on TV, in newspapers and magazines.

Consider Downshifting for a Better Work-Life Balance

Embracing simplicity is knowing when enough is enough, knowing oneself and living by one's own values. It doesn't need to mean living in a cabin in the woods like Henry Thoreau on Walden Pond. But it does mean saying no to instant gratification, and reflecting whether time is best used working in a frenetic job to pay for lots of things, or if it would be better spend working for less money but having less stress and more meaningful time with partners, friends and children.

The copyright of the article Simplify Life and Save Time and Money in Self-Awareness is owned by Richard Mudhar. Permission to republish Simplify Life and Save Time and Money in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.