Oftentimes the first step is the most difficult. Make a commitment to just start somewhere, and you are already well on your way towards improvement. Keep in mind small actions compound into big results over time.​

Check out The Slight Edge​ if you need help with this step.

Set aside some time where you can just be, without distractions or obligations. I would suggest finding a quiet moment in your day where you can sit with a journal​ and explore your thoughts. This is a chance for you to gain clarity and see what areas of your life might feel the most chaotic or out of balance.

Taking the time upfront to clearly define your values, and what is a priority to you, will help to ensure those things don’t get neglected in the busyness of life. It’s about staying connected to what's important, not necessarily what’s urgent.

This is about getting clear on what it is you are looking to gain. Are you after a sense of balance and control? A feeling of ease, peace and contentment in your life? Getting clarity on your intentions and keeping that in your focus will help guide you towards making the best choices along the way.

Now that you have established what is a priority for you, we can now cut out/eliminate all the excess that does not align with your core values. This could be anything from what is bogging you down, causing unnecessary stress, or taking attention away from the things that matter most.

You know best what area of your life could benefit most from simplifying. A few areas to consider would be: your living space, personal finances, your schedule/routines, your work/life balance, etc. Choose an area to begin with, and make that your focus for now.

Now that you have a place to start, decide what it is you’d like to achieve. For example, if you are working on simplifying your living space, maybe make it your objective to organize & declutter two specific rooms by week's end.

Check out ​3 Tips For Setting Attainable Goals​ if you need help with this step.​

By using a formula to accomplish your goals you drastically simplify things by taking the guesswork out of the process. Following a consistent formula is just about taking action, the next step, rather than getting bogged down with choices. With that, the 4 step formula we found to work best when simplifying is: Inventory, Group, Organize and Decultter.

This is where we get a clear picture of what we own and we’re at. It’s about taking an inventory of not only our physical possessions, but also how we spend/allocate our time, money, energy and focus.

Grouping involves sorting and categorizing. For instance, once you have taken inventory of your schedule, you can begin grouping similar tasks together, such as errands, house chores, calls/emails, etc. Once things are grouped properly, you are now in a much better position to efficiently organize.

Once we have categorized our items, tasks, time and so forth, we can now start to organize them in a way that makes sense. We can begin to assign a designated space for certain items, a block of time for specific tasks. We can prioritize what is important and what’s not.

We have already taken inventory of clutter that may have accumulated, or wasteful time/money spending habits we may have overlooked. We have grouped and organized as needed, now is where we begin the process of ‘cleaning it up’. This is where we delegate, donate, or eliminate the excess.

In step 7, we set up a goal, or objective, that we're aiming for. Now is when we check in and ‘measure up’ what we’ve achieved in relation to that previously established goal.

Based upon how we measured up to the objective we were hoping to achieve, this is when we adjust and shift our actions as needed to more effectively line up to where we want to be.

Throughout this simplifying process, I’m sure you have begun to see what works best for you and your specific life situation. You have seen what gets results and what doesn’t. Now is the time to integrate those habits into your overall lifestyle. Turn what worked into a system. Build it into a lifestyle.

Check out Atomic Habits​ if you need help with this step.​

• The Slight Edge​ - Create powerful results from simple daily actions.
• Atomic Habits​ - How to build good habits and break bad ones
• Top-to-Bottom Home Organization​ - A complete guide to organizing

• 7 Keys to Living a Simple Life​
• 3 Tips for Setting Attainable Goals​
• 4 Pillars of a Healthy Mind and Body​
• The Path to Financial Fitness​

Gain more freedom and mental clarity with our free 7 day email course.​​ Over the span of 7 days, we will cover a variety of topics that will allow you to find ways to slow down, reset, and simplify.

Simplify Your Life in 7 Days​​​

It's hard to understate the benefits of meditation. For this guide specifically, it will help with Steps 2-4, when you are developing more self-awareness, and defining your values & intentions.​ If you're ready to learn how to develop a daily meditation practice, I highly recommend this 14-day course.

A Meditation Expert's 14-Day Guide​​