Simpler

Category: minimalism. Date read: August 31, 2016. My rating: 3/5. Buy on Amazon.

Explains the importance of being a minimalist. People are more important than things. Time is more important than things. Minimalism is a process not an end. The purpose of minimalism is to enjoy all the extra time, money, and energy that we gain by being a minimalist.

Don't hide behind being “busy”. Don't fill your life with activities. Don't spend time doing things regardless of their impact in your life.

Don't think that just by going faster you'll achieve more. It's a fallacy. You won't feel fulfilled even if you finish a thousand of unimportant tasks.

Don't just count the activities you do, also weigh the importance of them.

Stop doing things that doesn't matter thinking that you'll have time for yourself later. The truth is that you don't know how much time you have left.

Minimalism is about eliminating the unnecessary so you can focus on what's most important. — Mike Burns

Your time, space, and energy is limited. Eliminate that which is less important so you can enjoy and focus on that which is important.

Minimalism is about priorities. Your priorities. You decide what's important in your life.

Do the work and think hard on what you want in life and on your priorities. Then be willing to say “no” to the rest to keep your focus.

Prepare yourself to say “no” to those noble project that aren't right for you, or that the time isn't right. To those things you just like.

Remember, you are saying “no” so you can say truly “yes” to those few things that are important to you.

Some important questions you can make to yourself:

The process IS the destination. — Mike Burns

Simplifying takes work, but it's good work, it's an investment. You spend time and energy reducing clutter so you can enjoy more time and energy in what matters.

Don't forget that life is complicated, but you don't need to surrender to it. Things can always get simpler.

Don't let life happen to you. Learn from things as they get complex. Refuse to let conflict stop you to keep going forward.

Always try to be part of the solution, instead of part of the problem.

Leave things better than you find them. Leave people better than you find them.

Don't expect someone else to clean up your mess. Do it yourself.

Stop letting information to clutter your minds. Stop letting urgencies and the idea of being productive take up all our bandwidth. Leave space for creativity.

Don't use piles of objects as reminders of undone tasks. Put them where they belong.

Don't keep piles of books as reminders or trophies. It will make you feel less guilt and free up your mind.

Most of those books will be outdated when it comes time for your children to read them. — Mike Burns

Try to slow down to a sustainable pace. Not so fast that you miss opportunities, hinder creativity, or end up exhausted. But no so slow that you don't feel like you're not moving forward.

Walk through life noticing people.

Remember that the end goal is not to be clutter-free. It's to enjoy the time that minimalism gives you for important things.

Don't get angry if someone threatens your decluttered space.

Be mindful of the new time and energy that you have because you're a minimalist.

People are more important than things. Enjoy spending time with them.

You can only make a significant difference in a handful of people. Figure out who those are and build those relationships.

Life is too short to waste doing things we don't have to do. — Mike Burns