Sazzle Berry

Lately I have discovered the beauty in minimalism.

I have always embraced a fast-paced, multi-tasking, over-planning approach to my working week -aiming to be super productive and plan every waking second, getting stuff done. And then I discovered zenhabits.net. This blog inspired me to embraced a simplistic mindset in every area of my life. From budgeting and mapping out my day, to planning my life goals and changing the way I think. Focusing on one thing at a time has decreased my anxieties and stress, improved my productivity and allowed me to focus on quality instead of quantity.

These are just a few of the minimalist tips that stuck in my mind.

--> Have an open mind - with no expectations. Imagine your about to snack on some blueberries. Your excited because you love the familiar juicy taste of a blueberry. You put the blueberry in your mouth and your disappointed to discover the blueberry is not yet ripe. Now imagine the first time you've ever tasted a blueberry. You have no idea - and no expectations - to what this may taste like. As you put the blueberry in your mouth, your curious about the taste and your sensations and fully awakened. The taste is amazing! You've discovered your new favourite fruit and feel extremely delighted with your snack. See the similarity to embracing a task with no expectations whatsoever?

--> Get the important things done first. Have a do to list of three things only. And focus on simply completing these three tasks for the day. After you've finished those, you now have the time to read, write, relax, or even continue being productive.

--> Eat basically the same thing - an abundance of vegetables every day. Don't dwell on deciding what to eat. Just eat what is nutritious for your body, and enjoy it.

--> De-clutter. Your house. Your mind. Your diary. Only posses the materials you absolutely need. Clothes you don't wear, unnecessary tasks, things you haven't used for months. Get rid of them. Humans are satisfied by the basic needs in life, all the other 'stuff' just creates clutter in your house and mind

--> Wake and sleep at approximately the same time each day. Get into a routine of reading yourself to sleep and awakening early. Try to follow the sun. zenhabits published a fantastic article about the art of waking early.

--> Create a morning ritual to start your day. This may just be a 5 minute meditation, perhaps some reading or writing, or a morning exercise or yoga. Keep it consistent.