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Photo Credit: Getty Images
Here are some easy tips from a minimalist that will save you hours every week.
By simplifying our lives, we become more efficient with our tasks and free up hours of unnecessary workload — which, in turn, helps us achieve the most out of our day so that we can spend less time stressing and more time living.
Nine minimalist habits that will save you hours include:
Let’s dive in!
1.) Get rid of 1 thing every day
Here’s the game plan: pick one item each day that’s not pulling its weight, doesn’t spark joy, or simply doesn’t vibe with your current groove.
Then, bid it farewell.
As you wave goodbye to these items, a magical transformation happens: Your space becomes an oasis of peace and order, unleashing a ninja-like focus and mental clarity.
2.) Build a capsule wardrobe
Picture this: a concise and streamlined wardrobe selection, carefully chosen to work seamlessly together throughout the season or even the entire year.
3.) Buy high-quality things
Let’s talk money rules. Personally, I have 10 that I live by, and here’s Rule #3: “Buy the best and keep it as long as possible.”
Believe it or not, cheap is almost always more expensive.
4.) Unsubscribe from emails
On average, we spend a whopping 28% of our workday tackling emails — about 120 messages a day, and we’re checking our inbox roughly 11 times per hour.
Don’t just leave them unopened or delete them; that’s delaying the inevitable and cluttering your virtual space.
Unsubscribing liberates you from the chains of useless emails, giving you more room to focus on what truly matters.
5.) Streamline your finances
Here are the keys:
- Automate monthly payments.
- Kick unused subscriptions to the curb.
- Set up automatic contributions to investments.
- Let a portion of your paycheck effortlessly glide into savings.
6.) De-weaponize your device
- Set screen time limits: Control the monster by limiting its feasting time.
- Grayscale mode: Drain the allure of vibrant colours and make it less appealing.
- Disable non-emergency notifications: Stop the constant nagging for your attention.
- Add friction with apps like ‘one sec’: Make it a bit tougher to engage mindlessly.
- Delete time-wasting apps: If they’re not adding value, they’re gone.
- Organize apps into folders: Categorize them based on their purpose.
- Set time limits for specific apps: Be deliberate about your social media use.
- Utilize ‘Do Not Disturb’: Silence unnecessary notifications.
- Create physical distance: Keep it away when it’s not needed.
- Personally, I’ve set daily time limits for social media, buried them in folders, and use the ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode judiciously.
7.) Prune your to-do list
- Craft a killer to-do list:
- Keep it short (3–6 items).
- Prioritize ruthlessly.
- Integrate it into your schedule.
- Need a nudge in the right direction? Enter the Ivy Lee Method. Here’s the shortened version:
- List your six most vital tasks for tomorrow.
- Prioritize them.
- Tackle them in order, one at a time.
8.) Use the 2-Minute Rule
Ever heard of the 2-Minute Rule? It’s a game-changer.
Here’s the golden nugget: If a task takes less than 2 minutes, do it now. Why? Because tasks have a sneaky tendency to morph into giants the longer we procrastinate.
9.) Build an idea capture system
Our mind factory’ is for having ideas, not holding them. Holding onto ideas disrupts our production capabilities.
To avoid this catastrophe, capture any thought that excites, interests, or energizes you. How? Use tools like Notion or your phone’s notes app.
https://medium.com/@wizdombookinsights/9-minimalist-habits-that-will-save-you-hours-ff3010db542f