Okay, so the title is a bit dramatic. But in all seriousness, simplicity is so underrated in its potential to influence people’s lives! There are a lot of reasons why our minds like simplicity, and why it is so hard to achieve.
A lot of psychological research has shown how complexity in various forms is hard on our minds. Studies have debunked multi-tasking, showing that trying to divide our attention over more than one task means we can’t effectively complete any of them. Physical distractions, aka clutter, is proven to lower productivity at work. A cluttered home leads to worse sleep, as well as higher stress and anxiety. Reducing complexity is the reason why many grocery stores and restaurants limit the options on offer – research shows that fewer options lead to more satisfied customers. You have probably heard of decision fatigue: making choices takes energy, and after a long day of making endless decisions with an overwhelming number of choices, you will be left mentally exhausted.
So much in the modern world complicates our physical space, mental capacity, and time. Society values busyness. We applaud people that can do it all – managing a career, raising a family, maintaining a social life… the list of expectations goes on! All of us become used to a certain level of hustle and bustle. We want to fill our lives with the things that make us happy, and of course getting rid of every possession and commitment is not the answer. The key to finding simplicity in the modern world can be summed up in one word – intentionality.
I like to think of intentionality using the KonMarie Method – the tidying process invented by the Japanese organizer Marie Kondo. In her show “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,” she asks her clients to hold their belongings one at a time and take a moment to ask themselves whether or not the object sparks joy. The individual takes a moment to focus on each possession, reflect on its personal meaning to them, and then decide whether they want it to stay in their life. Admittedly, it can feel a bit silly to seriously ask yourself whether a pair of slippers is bringing some cosmic sense of wellbeing to your existence. Yet this is exactly what intentionality is – setting aside distractions, putting all your attention towards one point of focus, and taking stock of how you really feel. The process effectively uses tools found in mindfulness, where you pull your focus away from distractions and into your true feelings in any given moment.
Donating unwanted objects is part of finding simplicity, but intentionally decluttering applies to many other aspects of life. If you think of ‘sparking joy’ as a bigger concept – your overall well-being – you can mentally hold other things in life and determine whether they are bringing you happiness. Consider the commitments and activities that occupied your time and attention this week. How did you feel about these activities in the moment, and how do you feel about them now looking back? Are there certain things you wish took up less of your time? Are there some things bringing you joy that you wish you could do more of?
Embracing simplicity means going back to basics. You will likely identify some universal aspects of well-being upon intentionally reflecting. This will likely include spending quality time with loved ones, engaging in self-care, spending time in nature, and unplugging from work and technology. There is a long list of adages that speak to this concept: “money can’t buy happiness,” “less is more,” “peace is about subtracting, not multiplying,” “slow and steady wins the race,” and “true friends are great riches.” These sayings reflect the universal peace found in an individual’s discovery of the peace and happiness that simplicity holds.
Simplicity may be an understated force, but never fails to refocus and reframe those in every walk of life. Try exercising intentionality to recognize the simple moments in life that are bringing you happiness. Identify the physical and mental clutter that is not ‘sparking joy’ for you, and give those things less space in your life. By embracing simplicity, you will give your overloaded mind a break – and make space for the things that truly matter.