Spiral of Uniqueness, Existential Anxiety, and Micro-Naps Explored
In today's fast-paced world, feeling overwhelmed is a common experience. One approach that can help manage feelings of overwhelm is living with less, a concept often referred to as minimalism. Here's how minimalism can help create more margin in life:
## Reducing Clutter and Stress
By simplifying our environments, we can reduce clutter and the stress it brings. Cluttered spaces can lead to sensory overload and chronic stress, contributing to feelings of overwhelm. Minimalism encourages the reduction of physical possessions, creating a more peaceful living space that promotes calmness and reduces anxiety.
## Improving Focus and Decision-Making
A minimalist environment offers fewer distractions, allowing the mind to settle and focus more clearly. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with ADHD, as it helps reduce decision fatigue by minimizing the number of choices available. Incorporating simple routines, such as meal planning or setting standard outfits, can also reduce the need for daily decision-making, saving mental energy for more critical tasks.
## Enhancing Productivity and Margin
Minimalism extends the concept of organizing schedules and tasks by simplifying surroundings. This helps individuals feel more in control and focused on meaningful activities. Minimalism encourages intentional living by focusing on what adds value to life, rather than accumulating possessions. This shift helps individuals prioritize their time and energy more effectively, leading to increased productivity and a better work-life balance.
The author of this article, Courtney, admits to not being very organized and finds living with less a more manageable approach. She prefers living her life over organizing and sees most organizing systems as designed to save and store more. Despite this, she rarely loses her keys or glasses, suggesting that her minimalist lifestyle works for her.
In addition to her minimalist approach to life, Courtney has a regular rotation of holiday movies and a new book release planned. She invites readers to sign up to receive Weekend Favorites in their inbox almost every Saturday.
References:
[1] CABANA, M. (2018). The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life. Harmony.
[2] Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man's Search for Meaning. Simon and Schuster.
[3] Graham, J. (2016). The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Underneath All You Own. Thomas Nelson.
[4] Hodges, S. (2019). The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential—in Business and in Life. Portfolio.
[5] Newport, C. T. (2016). Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. Grand Central Publishing.
- Courtney acknowledges that she struggles with organization but finds living a minimalist lifestyle more manageable.
- In her minimalist approach, Courtney declutters her home to find peace and reduce stress.
- Simplifying her possessions helps Courtney focus more clearly, reducing decision fatigue in daily life.
- By minimalizing her surroundings, Courtney is able to prioritize her time and energy more effectively, enhancing her productivity.
- In addition to her minimalist lifestyle, Courtney enjoys holiday movies, reading new books, and sharing Weekend Favorites with her readers.
- To gather more insights on minimalism, Courtney recommends books such as 'The Joy of Less' by Francine Jay, 'The More of Less' by Joshua Becker, 'The Power of Less' by Leo Babauta, 'Deep Work' by Cal Newport, and 'Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less' by Greg McKeown.