5 Ways Minimalism Can Change Your Life.
If you Google “Minimalism”, you will quickly find photos and links to trendy home decor, fashion, art, and even music! However, there is more to minimalism than it being just a style- it’s a way of life. This practice stands for not putting such a heavy value on possessions. When you own less, you can find better mental clarity.
LIM Living stands for a Less-is-More lifestyle. Our team keeps this attitude in mind both at work and at home to be efficient and content. Decluttering produces various benefits so you can focus on a life that you are excited to live.
Here are five ways why adopting a minimalist mindset will change your life.
1. A Clear Home
As the corners of our homes fill up with boxes, knickknacks, and other clutter, the feeling of overwhelmedness can begin to creep in. The thought of “I’ll get to cleaning that later” enters our mind and adds to our never-ending to-do list. We spend so much time picking up after items we don’t care about, that we don’t have time to relax in our own living spaces.
Our home should be our sanctuary to reconnect with ourselves from the outside world. After taking the time to declutter your home, you can live in a simple yet beautiful space filled with intention. A popular decluttering method is the Konmari Method from Marie Kondo’s bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. She lists the steps you take to declutter your home and only keeping the items that “spark joy.” The key is to start with what is least sentimental first and then move on to the most. The order she lists is:
- Clothes
- Books
- Papers
- Miscellaneous (General clutter, kitchen, office, kids, cleaning, decor, garage, and bathroom items)
- Sentimental items
While this popular method has swept the globe by a storm, there are many other ways you can get to decluttering your home to create a sanctuary to live more with less. Do your research and find what speaks to you!
2. Increased Productivity
When catching up with a friend and asking how they are, a typical response that we hear is, “Busy!”. It is often praised to cram our schedules with tasks that make us seem more productive. In reality, it leaves us scattered. When we adopt a less-is-more lifestyle, we discard more than our possessions. Mindless activities that don’t really have a benefit are left at the door too. This can be a challenge for many because they think that they can’t afford to take anything out of their day. We all have 24 hours, there’s a way to use them to be both productive and happy.
Tips to boost your productivity through minimalism include
- Cutting out mindless activities such as scrolling through social media or watching TV
- Delegating work to others when your plate gets too full
- Taking a walk or a purposeful break during a busy day to meditate on your work to understand which tasks are the most impactful to get done in your time
When we stop juggling unnecessary tasks, we put all of our brain power towards the goals that help us turn to be the employee, family member, and friend we want to be. When life gets hectic, it is best to remember that productivity is not a race.
3. Financial Benefits
When you end the repetitive cycle of continuous purchasing, you receive immediate economic incentives. For many, financial benefits tend to be a side effect of what they seek with a Minimalist lifestyle. Money is saved when you decide to take care of what you already have rather than looking for the next item to add to your collection. In our society’s addiction to online shopping, we have access to an overabundance of products at our fingertips. How many times have you bought something impulsively and completely forget about it until it appears on your doorstep a few days later? Do you use that item still today? Typically, the answer is no.
Minimalism means to surround yourself with only the things that bring you excitement and peace. When you have greater control of your savings, you can put your cash towards something that matters to you. This could be saving for your children's college funds, looking forward to an early retirement, or your finally going on your dream vacation. When you decrease clutter by cutting out mindless shopping, you have more freedom on how you would like to spend your money.
4. Helping the Earth
Joining the Minimalism Movement means that you are helping more than just yourself. Society’s mindset is constantly looking for the next thing to take, and over time this has had detrimental effects on our planet. One study found that household consumption habits in affluent nations make up 60% of greenhouse gasses! When you evaluate the waste your family produces in a week, you will be dismayed. Packaging, wrappers, and unwanted items are all tossed without a second thought on where it ends up. While practicing recycling is a step in the right direction, it still leaves a severe impact on the planet. The best way to help the earth is to stop the cycle of obsessive consumption.
Here are a few tips on how you can use minimalism to help the environment:
5. Better Mental Health
According to John Hopkins, one in four American adults suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder such as depression, and 18% of Americans from ages 18-54 suffer from an Anxiety disorder. While you should always seek professional medical help if you feel as though you are experiencing these symptoms, living a minimalist lifestyle can help calm a chattering mind. Clutter extends beyond the items you own; busy thoughts can also lead to distressing emotions. Try implementing these mental regimens into your daily activities:
- Meditation: Even 5 minutes a day can make a huge difference! Meditation helps you calm a busy mind when you turn your focus to your breath. Guided meditations on apps such as Headspace are great for getting started. Alternatively, Youtube provides endless free guided meditations.
- Monotasking: These days, multitasking is applauded for being productive in the workplace. In reality, this can drain your energy as you turn your attention to several assignments at once. When you monotask, you give one duty 100% of your attention before moving on to the next. Monotasking ensures that you complete everything thoroughly with your best effort.
- Taking intentional breaks: When you take breaks throughout your day, you gain the energy you need to continue your tasks with your best effort. Taking a small hiatus helps you to recharge to reduce brain fog. Methods such as the Pomodoro Method are scientifically proven to help increase productivity through breaks. When you take a break, try to step away from your screen. Going for a walk, getting some water, or talking to a coworker are great ways to revive your scattered mind!
When you release physical and mental clutter, you start to feel less overstimulated because you can focus on what is meaningful. The mess around us can trigger anxiety levels and the ability to focus. The human brain likes order, so when we visually see jumbled stimuli around us, we feel overloaded.
The minimalism movement is more significant than reorganizing your home. By living more with less, you can fill the gaps throughout multiple areas in your development. As this is a lifestyle change, it may feel overwhelming to get started. To feel more supported on your journey, try joining a challenge and receive encouragement from that community! Some of our favorite challenges are; The 30 Day Minimalism Game, The KonMari Method, and Project 333. There are many other online communities that you can research or make up a challenge on your own! Find what resonates with you. Are you going to give minimalism a try this year? Let us know on our Instagram or Facebook!