These simple ways to make life easier will help you take charge of your own life and live with less stress.
Life can get really messy sometimes.
We all go through times where everything seems to be falling into place and times where the world feels overwhelming and difficult. Life’s funny that way – it never lets you get too comfortable!
There are ways to make life simple despite all of the challenges that come your way. Of course, there’s no good answer that will fit everyone. We all face different challenges and battles.
And I’ve never met a single person that wasn’t interested in ways to make their life easier. That’s why we’re always looking for the best life hacks and other ways to find happiness.
Good news is, there are a few important things and small changes you can make to your everyday life to feel happier and more fulfilled. The little things add up, and creating a new habit can be intimidating.
I promise you that implementing a few small things at a time can go a long way.
I’m very lucky to lead an easy life. Much of it is due to luck and privilege, but it also has to do with how I live my life.
Sure, there are times where I am struggling with my three little kids, or I am stressed about living with autoimmune disorders. I’ve been in car accidents and had appliances break and I’ve broken down crying to my husband about feeling overwhelmed.
I’m nowhere near perfect, but I will share from personal experience the best ways to make life a little easier.
How to make life easier
1. Create a predictable routine
Step one on the list of how to make life easier is to create a predictable, manageable routine.
This can be a difficult one, especially if your time management skills need a little work. But it is something that can make a huge difference in your day-to-day happiness.
Creating a good routine is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing, it has to be tailored to your own needs. The most important thing is that your bedtime and wake up time should be consistent.
Sleep is crucial to happiness. Without sleep, we are cranky, irritable, our cortisol levels are heightened, and we are not our normal functioning selves. Make sure your bed and wake times allow for at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
Your morning routine might include some simple things like a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal after a quick jog before heading to work. Your evening routine should include some way to recharge before a good, long sleep.
Schedule your day to get everything done while also planning time for rest. Try to plan for self-care moments during your day to keep your cup full.
2. Shed the negative energy
Take a good look at your life and write down what makes you happy. Now write down what is making you stressed, anxious, mad or sad.
Take a look at those negatives. There is always something you can do about the negatives in your life.
Think of yourself like a snake that needs to shed its skin. Do you need to find a less stressful job? Do you need to sell your car for one with a lower payment? Maybe you need to start exercising and eating healthy to feel better about yourself.
You need to make a conscious decision to bring in positive energy and shed the negative energy. Whatever it is that is bringing you down, get rid of it!
3. Go after your dreams
Our time alive is limited. The clock starts ticking the moment we are born and we get one chance to live our best life. Why would we do anything other than what makes us happy?
I actually started this blog as a way to be happier and feel more fulfilled. When I looked at who I am, I realized I am someone that loves to create.
All I ever wanted was to be a mom, and I absolutely love my role as mother to my three little cuties. My family and job made me happy, of course, but I needed to make something.
Writing blog posts, starting my own little business, and providing a little extra financial freedom for my family has fulfilled that desire. I can work less and spend more time with my family, while writing and creating.
Is there something missing in your life? It’s time to go after it. The hardest thing to do is just start, and it will always seem like it isn’t a good time. Trying something for the first time is scary, you just have to go for it!
4. Make your health a priority
Health is temporary. Let that sink in.
At some point, everyone gets sick, hurt, or weak. Health needs to be on the forefront of your mind.
Your physical and mental health are extremely important. Living with illness of any kind will make your life much more difficult. If you already live with an ailment, then it’s time to take charge of it and do what your body needs.
A healthier life is an easier life!
Fortunately there are small steps you can take that have a big impact towards a healthy, fulfilled life.
Exercise
Exercise should be a priority to you because you care about your body and feeling good, not because you care about looking good – health comes in different sizes and shapes. When you change your mindset from vanity to self love, everything feels a little easier.
While you might think exercise will make you have less energy, the opposite is actually true. Including exercise in your everyday routine is a great way to boost your endorphins and lower stress levels.
Working out becomes less of a chore, and more for pleasure. Think of all the wonderful endorphins you are flooding your body with when you exercise!
You don’t need to be doing HIIT exercises or going for long runs to get the benefits of exercise. Simply going for a walk or practicing some yoga can help you relieve stress and feel healthier.
Eat healthy
Just like exercise, you should eat healthy because you love yourself. Choose an apple over a candy bar because you want to give yourself all those healthy vitamins and minerals. Eat whole, fresh foods because they make you feel good!
Try some new recipes or try to make healthier versions of foods you love. When you start making little changes to your diet, they all add up and snowball over time.
Even changing just a little bit of your diet at a time is helpful. Slow progress is still progress! Maybe you start by cutting out the soda, or reaching for a vegetable instead of starch. The next time you get the urge to eat something unhealthy, try reaching for something nourishing instead.
Drink more water
Start every day by filling up a water bottle. You can add a few slices of lemon or cucumber to make it more palatable if water isn’t your thing.
Drinking water is one of the easiest ways to boost your health with little effort.
Take care of your mental health
Make sure you’re setting aside time for self care and self love. Even if you only have 15 minutes to spend, there are plenty of ways to unwind and take a breather.
Taking time to relax is very important for mental health. Slow down and do a little assessment. Are you feeling anxious? Depressed?
If you have kids, teaching them to take care of themselves from a young age will definitely help them later in life.
Sleep
Making time for sleep seems impossible. But you absolutely need to get enough sleep.
At least once per week, try to go to bed early and sleep in a little later. Though mindlessly playing on your phone until it is the middle of the night is fun and addicting, try to shut off the screens and go to bed earlier.
You’ll find your are much happier and refreshed with more sleep. Feeling rested and refreshed makes life easier.
5. Shed the clutter
Getting rid of all of the “stuff” will help make your life easier. Purging the things you don’t need can help you feel more relaxed and happy.
Donating all of the extra things you’ve accumulated can take a huge weight off your life. Coming home to a neat and tidy space is a good thing.
I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist, though I am drawn to the lifestyle. Less clutter and less things makes things feel tidy and purposeful. When everything has a place in your home you will feel calmer and happier.
6. Learn to say no
Setting boundaries for yourself is a key to make life easy. Saying “no” can be difficult to do, but if you’re already stretched thin it’s OK to be honest.
You can say, “sorry, I can’t set aside an hour for a meeting, but I do have 15 minutes.”
Or, “I’m sorry, I can’t come over tomorrow. I have been really busy at work and I need a day to just rest.”
You don’t have to be everything for everyone, and setting those boundaries is important to making life easy.
7. Be honest and up front
Don’t be afraid to say what you need and feel. You can be direct and honest without being disrespectful.
Set your boundaries and hold to them firmly. It feels better to be direct and up front with someone than to lie to keep peace. “Faking it” is not the easy way out!
I am definitely working on being more honest and direct, and it has taken me a long time to get there. In many ways, I feel that my kindness and “go with the flow” attitude has been taken advantage of.
While I enjoy making others happy, I don’t appreciate doing things someone else’s way just to have things be more difficult for me.
Learning to be more forward with my wants and needs has given me a new-found freedom. It isn’t easy, but it does feel nice to be heard and to not just bend over backwards to make someone else happy.
8. Take responsibility for your life and choices
Owning your choices can be empowering, and will definitely make your life easier.
What if we stopped blaming others for our circumstances, and could own our mistakes?
You can be miserable because you aren’t making as much money as you’d like, you are overweight, and unhappy. You can blame your career, your genetics, or whatever to make yourself feel less responsible. But here’s the thing – you can change those things.
Don’t like your income? Find a new job or get a side hustle. Unhappy with your weight? See a doctor if you think there is a medical issue behind it, or do something to change it.
Sure, trying new things is hard. It’s a big deal! But owning your life is the right way to make life easier and feel more fulfilled.
In the words of Lizzo, “boss up and change your life.”
9. Set achievable goals (and make choices to fulfill those goals)
What are you trying to achieve in your life and what are you doing to make it happen? Just wanting something isn’t enough. You have to create an action plan.
If you have a weight loss goal, are you actually trying to lose the weight, or does it just sound nice?
Are you aiming for a promotion at work? What steps have you been taking to make it happen?
When you create goals for yourself, you need to be specific. How are you going to achieve those goals, and in what time frame? When you figure it out,write it down.
Don’t create unnecessary work for yourself by doing things without a plan.
Example:
Goal: Lose 10 pounds.
To be achieved by: You’ll want to plan to lose 1-2 pounds per week for sustainable weight loss. So, let’s say you’re going to aim to lose the weight in 8 weeks.
Action plan: make it detailed.
- Reduce calories
- Eat fruit instead of cereal for breakfast.
- Skip dessert
- Have cucumbers or celery for a snack instead of chips
- Prepare healthy meals on Sundays to reheat throughout the week
- Make coffee at home – skip the drive-thru
- Exercise
- Go for a walk three times per week
- Practice yoga before bedtime
- Take the stairs
- Accountability
- Find a friend to join in the journey
- Take measurements or pictures once per week to track progress
- Join an accountability group on social media (Facebook and Reddit are great for this!)
When the plan is easy to follow, manageable and clear, it is much easier to achieve your goals. Feeling accomplished in your goals builds confidence which can help make life easier.
10. Ask for help (and help others, too)
Asking for help is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about – we all need a little help sometimes! You can call up your friends or family if you’re in need. They’ll likely be happy to help.
There are many ways to ask for help instead of phoning a friend. Maybe it’s ordering your child’s birthday cake instead of making it yourself (something I’m still learning to do) or hiring someone to help clean your house once a month.
Reduce your burden by finding those things that just don’t seem to be serving you well and see if there’s a way to make it easier.
Additionally, offer to help others when you can. Did your best friend have a new baby? Drop off a meal and offer to walk her dog. Is your niece’s school on the way to your work? Offer to drop her off.
The gestures don’t need to be big to be helpful!
11. Make rest a priority
Resting is crucial to happiness. We all need to slow down and pause at times.
Rest doesn’t have to mean sleep, although sleep is very important. It looks a little different for everyone, but rest means taking a break from the busyness in your life.
Maybe on Sundays you stay in your pajamas, order takeout, and don’t do the laundry. You can soak in the tub, binge watch a Netflix series, or go for a long run.
Rest should recharge your spirit. Whatever that looks like for you, make it happen.
12. Take the pressure off
What in your life is causing you unnecessary stress and pressure? How can you make it easier? Ask yourself if these things are really necessary, or just something that you’ve gotten in the habit of doing.
Eliminating some of the “extras” in your life can make your life easier. There’s no need to make homemade bread when the one from the store tastes good too. You can order your groceries online if you just don’t have the time to walk around the store.
No matter how big or little those pressures are, they all add up to create unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Maybe cooking dinner for your family every night is adding unnecessary stress. Meal planning, or even meal delivery services can be a solution. They often take less time and eliminates some of the mental energy preparing meals takes.
Plus, it may save you trips to the grocery store and reduces food waste.
You don’t have to commit to a delivery service long term, but it may help you get through a busy period in your life.
13. Do what makes you proud/happy (and don’t accept responsibility for someone else’s happiness)
Reflect on your life and think about what makes you feel fulfilled. What is it that fills your cup and makes your soul happy?
Do more of what makes you happy. It’s simple, really!
For me, my family is everything. While my kids are little, I don’t work much so that I can be present with them every day. Spending time with them in the kitchen, doing crafts, and just soaking up their little-ness makes my heart happy.
I love my job as a labor and delivery nurse and writing this blog gives me joy, too, but I make my family my number one priority.
It’s also important to remember that you are not responsible for someone else’s happiness. We often get caught up in making sure everyone else is happy that we forget about our own happiness. Let it go.
It is not your job to please everyone, and just like you are responsible for your choices they are responsible for theirs.
How do you make your life easier? We all have our own ways of finding joy, so please share if you have a simple trick to help others regain control of their wellbeing.
I hope this helped you gain a little insight into how to make life easy.
