We live in complex times. I think pretty much every person who’s ever existed in the world has thought this. It’s nothing new. That lack of novelty, however, doesn’t make it any less true. We do live in complicated times. We’re supposed have a knowledgeable opinion on a larger range of topics than at probably any other time in history. Time-tested patterns and truisms seem to be broken, or at the very least, up for debate. And on top of it all, we have the enviable but challenging task of being our own media filters, with thousands of voices clamoring for our attention.

This is why simplicity is more important than ever.

Just Why Simplicity Is Important Now?


Your opinion is at stake. You need a moment of silence in order to hear your own voice.  Opinions are coming at you from all directions. And with marketing becoming more sophisticated, it’s even more of a challenge to distinguish sincere sentiment from paid opinion. You rely on your internal monologue (or your gut feeling) for more decisions, and more important decisions.  I truly think that while your analytical process is strengthened by challenges, it needs a silent incubation period from time to time. Granting yourself moments of silence is a chance to get back to thoughts that are truly your own.

Go Confidently
Your confidence is at stake. Since micro-cultures  are way more visible than in the pre-YouTube era, you have access to people and ideas that previously would have been unknown to you. These can provide opportunities to learn and grow, as well as chances to criticize and doubt. Are you as desirable as that LA celeb? Are you as well-spoken as the off-the-cuff pundit? Are you as knowledgeable and skilled as that newly minted millionaire? If you don’t guard your confidence by focusing on your key priorities, it’s easy to doubt yourself instead of focusing on what’s important in your life.

Your happiness is at stake. Happiness is being defined in a million different terms. As always though, the terms you live by are entirely up to you. With so many different values sets and worldviews, the importance of whittling down your core beliefs becomes obvious.  Even happiness research is showing that fewer choices lead to increased happiness. Limiting, or simplifying, the choices and factors in your life is essential.

Your future is at stake. From your mutual funds to your multi-vitamin, there’s no shortage of advice. Listening to it all is possible. Following it all? Not so much. There’s simply not enough bandwidth to follow every bit of advice that comes across your reader. Without a plan for simplifying the input you take in, overload is an inevitability and analysis paralysis is a likelihood. Securing your future–whether that means your legacy of volunteering or your 401k portfolio–is in your hands, and in the choices you make everyday. You can’t take everyone’s advice, making simplicity a key part of controlling (or at least optimistically directing) your future.

Cultivating Simplicity in Complicated Times

So being simple is important. Got it. Where do we go from there? Choosing to live a simpler life is one thing, taking action to do it is quite another. If you’re ready to take the plunge (or dive down deeper), consider focusing on these paths to simplicity.

Turn Off the TV
Create media blackout times with specific parameters. Staying updated and aware of the world around you is a good thing. But like any other good thing, too much of it transforms it to a vice.  By limiting your inputs for at least a short period each day, you give yourself time to incubate information, listen to your gut, and remember your perspective.

  • Send calls straight to voicemail for the first part of the evening.
  • Delay checking your email and feed reader until you’ve completed any creative tasks on your docket for the day.
  • Keep the TV turned off for the last two hours before you hit the sack.
  • Browse the internet on a timer, and then commit yourself to stepping away from the screen when the time is up.

Encourage independence in yourself and those around you. It’s wonderful to be needed, isn’t it? But there’s a difference between being truly needed and being needed to help your roommate decide what kind of frozen pizza to buy. Encouraging or enabling neediness in those around you benefits no one, least of all you. Your life is simplest when your inner circle isn’t calling you every five minutes for your advice. If you’ve got family, friends, and acquaintances who rely on you to make decisions, you can:

  • Ask them leading questions instead of providing answers. “Which is your favorite?” helps them stay in tune with their own opinions instead of trying to anticipate yours.
  • Create a buffer zone. If contacts don’t have instant access to you, they won’t be trained to wait on your opinion. This can mean removing yourself from IM for part of the day, checking email only at set times, or screening your phone calls and purposely avoiding your friend’s latest “crisis.”
  • Set “office hours.” Give the needy folks in your life when it’s always okay to reach you. It’s like the concept of empty space: by emphasizing what’s there, you simultaneously emphasize what’s not there.
  • Be busy. Friends and family aren’t going to be thrilled to hear that you blew off their urgent “What game should I buy?” moments because you were watching reruns of Family Guy. If you were out on a date, spending time with your spouse, or volunteering, there’s less chance of those people in your life feeling left behind.

Pinhole: Clock
Carve out time for what you’re most passionate about. On rare occasions, simplicity isn’t about paring down life. In fact, the most important habit in a satisfying simple lifestyle just might be adding value and enjoyment. So as more and more tasks and goals are piled onto your schedule, learn to prioritize the most important ones. Those are things that keep you happy and refreshed, able to enjoy the world at your fullest and most vibrant.

  • Keep a happiness journal to figure out what activities you truly enjoy. Write down two to three things you did each day that were your happiest moments of the day and tally them up after a few weeks.
  • Schedule in your favorite activities–literally. Don’t just say you’re going to curl up and read a book with the phone turned off. Pencil it in your calendar from 7 to 9.  Don’t just talk about how you love to go for long bike rides when you can find the time. Commit to taking that ride at a specific time each week and don’t let anything beyond an emergency take precedence.
  • Pay yourself first. Use that classic personal finance mantra as a time management technique and schedule your favorite and most important activities first. Let the inconsequential things slide.
  • Start with the best, forget the rest. Why not begin the day with your favorite activity? It won’t get bumped aside, and lets you begin each day on a positive note.
  • Be ready to let go. Sometimes our passions change. Be ready to evolve and step away from things that no longer move you. This makes room for new adventures and passions without overcrowding your life.

Let’s go back to the original idea for a moment: simplicity is more important now than it’s ever been. Is that really true? In my opinion, absolutely not. It’s exactly as important as it’s always been: paramount.

Creative Commons License photo credit: Son of Groucho

Creative Commons License photo credit: lucianvenutian

Creative Commons License photo credit: Matt Callow

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