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6 Ways To Simplify Your Life

04/18/2017 By Sarah Wyland

18 Apr

Simplify Your Life

As important as it is to be physically active, I believe emotional and mental wellness is just as – if not more – important. Exercise and good nutrition are just two aspects of living well. While exercise has been proven to bolster moods, what good does it do if hours later, you’re right back to feeling melancholy or overwhelmed?

I find that my bad moods and worst days are generally directly related to the busyness and chaos around me. I wrote a bit last week about choosing how time is spent, and who it is spent with. After I wrote it, I finally got around to reading Emily Ley’s Grace, Not Perfection which really hones in on this point. Choose what’s important, and give yourself the grace to leave the rest.

It’s really a game-changing book and I highly recommend it.

There’s a quote near the end that I especially love:

“Being a woman with many loves and responsibilities will test your patience, stretch your well, and make you love more fiercely than you ever thought possible – because time is your most precious commodity.”

That’s me – I have so many plates spinning, and each plate has something delicious and nourishing to my soul on it. In order not to drop any of those plates, I’ve been working to simplify my life. After reading Grace, Not Perfection, I realized I had implemented a number of Emily’s suggestion, as well as some of my own.

Here are six ways to simplify your life and focus on the important things.

Unsubscribe from email lists.

I don’t know about you, but I used to wake up to 100s of emails. 9 out of 10 were junk mail or sales alerts from stores I bought something from once, five years ago. Take some time and unsubscribe from those lists. I love Unroll.me for this – in fact, I just updated my subscriptions today! Waking up to 50 or so emails is so much more manageable, plus it’s easier to find the emails that are actually important.

Black out the time you need.

My “real” job in marketing is meeting-heavy at times. When I realized I wasn’t getting anything done because I was in meetings all day, I started blocking time on my calendar to work at my desk. People trying to schedule meetings see those blocks as “busy” and schedule around them. It’s worked out so well that I now implement that strategy into other parts of my life, scheduling time to do things like write this blog post or spend 30 minutes on the floor with a foam roller and a lacrosse ball to work on my mobility. 

Click the unfollow button.

Last week, I purged my Instagram feed. I relentlessly unfollowed people I went to high school with that I haven’t seen since we graduated. I unfollowed brands I don’t buy from, bloggers that haven’t posted in months, I unfollowed anyone that didn’t make me feel good or inspired. This was a tip Emily recommended as well. I need to do the same on Facebook, soon.

Make your social media accounts a happy place to go, not a place where you end up comparing yourself to someone else, wondering if you’re doing enough, successful enough, thin enough… Just hit the unfollow button, simple as that.

Tidy up.

I have never been able to tolerate clutter. I’m probably the only child in the history of the world who was never told to clean their room – because it was always clean. My dolls had designated shelf space, my bookshelf was organized in alphabetical order, and my bed was always made. It’s amazing how a clean space helps you feel less chaotic, even if you’re up to your eyeballs in work.

Take a few minutes to tidy up your space. Throw away junk mail and those post-it notes from three weeks ago. Fold the laundry and put it away (I know – I hate it, too). Pick up the coffee mugs and knick knacks that seem to always end up scattered about. Once you have tidied up, take a moment to breathe in and appreciate just how much better you feel in a clean space.

Combine tasks.

I’ve been trying – and failing gloriously – to get more sleep. A few weeks ago, I made it a goal to be in my bed at 10:30. I allowed myself the option to read a book, but I had to be in the bed at 10:30. Except I realized fairly quickly that when 10:30 rolled around, I would head to the kitchen and spend the next 20+ minutes prepping my lunch for the next day to save time in the morning. By the time I cleaned up the kitchen and went through my nighttime routine, it was after eleven.

I had an “Aha!” moment a couple of weeks ago and realized the practicality of making my lunch while cooking dinner. I was spending the 30 or so minutes of dinner prep floating around, not really able to commit to doing anything substantial if I didn’t want my dinner to burn. It hit me that if I packed the next day’s lunch while dinner cooked, I would be utilizing otherwise wasted time. Plus, I only messed the kitchen up once. It’s been a game changer.

Look for little ways you can combine tasks. Buy yourself a few minutes here and a few minutes there and suddenly, you have a whole half hour of time back in your day to do whatever fills you with joy. Just think – 30 minutes to soak in the bathtub, reading a book, and drinking a glass of wine, all because you made lunch while cooking dinner!

Get rid of screens.  

I’m the worst at this, but there is something to be said for ditching the phones, tablets, and laptops. Turn off notifications and tuck your phone away after a certain hour of the evening. Focus on whatever is right in front of you. If you’re plowing through a project at work, close the social media and email tabs you have open. Set a timer if you need to – 30 minutes and you can check your email. When you ignore screens and focus on the now, you find that work to-do lists dwindle, bed time comes earlier, and time spent with loved ones is sweeter.

Taking a few minutes to trim away the excess will help you find calm in the chaos, sanity in the busyness.

Remember, a little adds up to a lot.

What are your tips for simplifying your life?

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04/18/2017 |

posted in: Business, Life | tagged as: Productivity

About Sarah Wyland

Sarah Wyland is an ACE-certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, and a barre instructor. She enjoys strength training, encouraging women, and food. She's a coffee drinker, dog mama, and Tennessee Vol.

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Comments

  1. Nikki says

    04/18/2017 at 5:59 pm

    This is such a great post!! I think I need to read Grace, Not Perfection. Sounds like a good one! The making your lunch while you are making dinner is a great idea. I get lunches together while I am cleaning up the kitchen after dinner. It makes it so much easier.
    On the tidiness – I want to be tidier. I wish I had more time to do more cleaning throughout the week. My mom always said I was probably the only kid who never lost a single piece to a board game. I can’t stand clutter either. Makes me crazy. In the mornings I try to do something productive before work – it is usually running the vacuum (the dog hair is just more than I can take). But in the evenings I work out, get cleaned up, do dinner, lunches, etc. etc. I need to do something productive in the evenings too (house related).
    Also, I need to purge my email and list and social media. A lot of social media accounts I see I am like, Who is this?? How am I even following this person?? And the emails? I get 500 shopping emails a day, I swear. It is just too much!

    Such good tips!!

    Nikki
    thefashionablewife.com

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Sarah Wyland | Life Aligned
Know that saying "magic happens when you step outs Know that saying "magic happens when you step outside of your comfort zone"? It's true. Step out of it today. See what happens.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I just opened up a few more 1:1 coaching spots - a holistic approach to health, nutrition, fitness, and mindset. Step out of your comfort zone and DM me for more info. ❤️

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[SAVE THIS POST] MEAL PREP TIPS: 3 Ways to Meal Pr [SAVE THIS POST] MEAL PREP TIPS: 3 Ways to Meal Prep Without Losing Your Mind
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Clients ask for meal prep tips all the time. At the end of the day, it's about finding a system that works best for your lifestyle. In general though, there are three ways to meal prep without losing your mind:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
(swipe for more details!)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1) Pick 3 - Choose 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and snacks for the week, prep them ahead of time, and have them in the fridge to grab and go throughout the week. This is a great option for those who don't mind eating the meals a few days in a row.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2) Batch - Pick your proteins, veggies, and starches, take a few hours to prepare everything for the week, and mix and match meals throughout the week ahead. This is a good option for those who want both ease and variety. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3) Prepare - If you like to cook, save time by prepping your ingredients ahead of time. Chop your veggies, marinate your meats, etc., maybe even pop a meal in the freezer. When you're ready to cook, everything is prepared and ready! This works well for those who enjoy being in the kitchen.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Meal prep doesn't have to be overwhelming. Play around in the kitchen, figure out a method that works for you. maybe even log a few "go to" recipes. There truly is no right or wrong way.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What's your best meal prep tip?
I'm about to blow your mind.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 Where your energy goes, your reality follows.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I discovered this idea about a dozen years ago and it changed my life. Call it Law of Attraction or call it hustle, but the idea is the same: where you put your focus, your reality unfolds.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Think about it.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You decide it's time for a new job. It becomes a dominant thought. You daydream about the role you want while you churn away at your desk of your current job. You browse LinkedIn and Indeed for your dream job at every opportunity. You put time and effort into polishing your resume and cover letter. You. Want. A. New. Job.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And then you get one. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You focused on it. You put your energy there. You took action. You made it your reality. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It can also go like this:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You’re having a crap day. You woke up late, didn’t have time to dry your hair, spilled coffee all over yourself in the car, hit traffic, was late for work, the deli got your lunch order wrong… You spend your day waiting for the next crap thing to happen.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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You’re focusing on the bad. You’re expecting it. And it keeps on coming. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Where your energy goes, your reality follows. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You get what you think about. You get it because that's where your energy is focused.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I want you to try something today. Think of a car. Any car. A Mustang. A Jaguar. A Corvette. Just pick one. Give it a color. I’m going with a white Range Rover.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Now, spend a few minutes thinking about that car. Google photos of it. Visualize yourself driving it. Once you’ve done that, notice how many of these cars you see in the next few days.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Let me know how it goes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Remember - where your focus goes, your reality goes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I’m about to see a lot of white Range Rovers.
First Monday in Los Angeles. First day of spring s First Monday in Los Angeles. First day of spring semester. First day with a couple of new 1:1 coaching clients. I like this Monday.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What's good about your Monday?
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  • Email
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sarahwyland

Sarah Wyland | Life Aligned
Know that saying "magic happens when you step outs Know that saying "magic happens when you step outside of your comfort zone"? It's true. Step out of it today. See what happens.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I just opened up a few more 1:1 coaching spots - a holistic approach to health, nutrition, fitness, and mindset. Step out of your comfort zone and DM me for more info. ❤️

📸: @yoimpeyton

#mindset #mindsetwork #mindsetcoach #livinglifealigned #lifealigned #deepwork #therapy #selflove #selfloveclub #manifestation #thougtsbecomethings #ontheblog #newontheblog #blogpost #therapysession #selfcare #blogger #healthandwellness #powerofshe #shapesquad #strongwomen #stronglikeme #california #californiadreaming #newportbeach
[SAVE THIS POST] MEAL PREP TIPS: 3 Ways to Meal Pr [SAVE THIS POST] MEAL PREP TIPS: 3 Ways to Meal Prep Without Losing Your Mind
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Clients ask for meal prep tips all the time. At the end of the day, it's about finding a system that works best for your lifestyle. In general though, there are three ways to meal prep without losing your mind:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
(swipe for more details!)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1) Pick 3 - Choose 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and snacks for the week, prep them ahead of time, and have them in the fridge to grab and go throughout the week. This is a great option for those who don't mind eating the meals a few days in a row.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2) Batch - Pick your proteins, veggies, and starches, take a few hours to prepare everything for the week, and mix and match meals throughout the week ahead. This is a good option for those who want both ease and variety. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3) Prepare - If you like to cook, save time by prepping your ingredients ahead of time. Chop your veggies, marinate your meats, etc., maybe even pop a meal in the freezer. When you're ready to cook, everything is prepared and ready! This works well for those who enjoy being in the kitchen.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Meal prep doesn't have to be overwhelming. Play around in the kitchen, figure out a method that works for you. maybe even log a few "go to" recipes. There truly is no right or wrong way.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What's your best meal prep tip?
I'm about to blow your mind.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 Where your energy goes, your reality follows.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I discovered this idea about a dozen years ago and it changed my life. Call it Law of Attraction or call it hustle, but the idea is the same: where you put your focus, your reality unfolds.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Think about it.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You decide it's time for a new job. It becomes a dominant thought. You daydream about the role you want while you churn away at your desk of your current job. You browse LinkedIn and Indeed for your dream job at every opportunity. You put time and effort into polishing your resume and cover letter. You. Want. A. New. Job.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And then you get one. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You focused on it. You put your energy there. You took action. You made it your reality. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It can also go like this:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You’re having a crap day. You woke up late, didn’t have time to dry your hair, spilled coffee all over yourself in the car, hit traffic, was late for work, the deli got your lunch order wrong… You spend your day waiting for the next crap thing to happen.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You’re focusing on the bad. You’re expecting it. And it keeps on coming. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Where your energy goes, your reality follows. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You get what you think about. You get it because that's where your energy is focused.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I want you to try something today. Think of a car. Any car. A Mustang. A Jaguar. A Corvette. Just pick one. Give it a color. I’m going with a white Range Rover.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Now, spend a few minutes thinking about that car. Google photos of it. Visualize yourself driving it. Once you’ve done that, notice how many of these cars you see in the next few days.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Let me know how it goes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Remember - where your focus goes, your reality goes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I’m about to see a lot of white Range Rovers.
First Monday in Los Angeles. First day of spring s First Monday in Los Angeles. First day of spring semester. First day with a couple of new 1:1 coaching clients. I like this Monday.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What's good about your Monday?
I’ve been reflecting on this idea as I move into I’ve been reflecting on this idea as I move into my Los Angeles apartment. I’ve had every sort of feeling over the last 24 hours, from sheer excitement to sheer terror and worry about “how am I going to do this?!” But then I remember that I’ll never know unless I try.

What’s that thing you want to try but you keep talking yourself out of it?
Enjoying this cross-country road trip while also l Enjoying this cross-country road trip while also looking forward to developing a new routine, getting back into the gym, and eating all the vegetables. Knox just wants to get out of the car and play ball some more, maybe crash the beach.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What are you most excited about in 2021?
Consistency > Perfection.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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80%. That's all I ask of my clients. Complete 80% of the month's workouts, stick to macros 80% of the time, keep the right mindset 80% of the time. Most of the time, clients exceed my expectations, but 80% is doable. 80% is livable.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We tend to want to go from 0 to 100. We want to go from sedentary to Fittest on Earth. We want to go from fast food every day to gourmet chef in a week. It doesn't work like that. We burn out, get frustrated, and give up.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The tortoise had it right. Slow and steady wins the raise. Consistency reaches goals.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I'm taking on new 1:1 coaching clients. If you're looking for someone to program your workouts, calculate macros, and help you break through your mental roadblocks when it comes to reaching your goals, send me a DM or click the link in my bio. I'd love to chat.
My word for 2021: Settled.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My word for 2021: Settled.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I let my 'Word of the Year' come to me through God/spirit/universe, whatever you want to call your higher power. Sometimes its whispered to me. Sometimes it comes to me through a note or even a TV commercial. This year, it came to me through one of @KaileyDickerson's Instagram posts. I'm borrowing her word for 2020, but this is the right word for me in 2021.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Settled.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Settled in Los Angeles, in a new apartment, a new community. Settled in my own skin, in who I am, in what I want. Settled in a world that likes to throw chaos at us hard and fast. I liken it to a hurricane – the eye is calm while winds and rain swirl and thrash around it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I shared more about my Word of the Year + my 2020 goals (not resolutions - see post from earlier this week) as well as my Word of the Year for 2021 (it was 'Yes') on the blog. Link in bio.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's your word for 2021?
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