One of the most common comments I get from those who are wishing to achieve simplicity in their lives goes something like this, “I am trying to simplify life and I have read every book I can get my hands on, yet my life still seems complicated.” This goes hand in hand with the feeling of being overwhelmed by life. Where do you start? Exactly what is the first thing to do. Here are some tips to get you started today!

Take the weekend off! No really. Do nothing for an entire weekend. Don’t do laundry, make meals simple, and call it a self serve weekend. Instead read the newspaper, catch-up with an old friend, look through a seed catalog, take a nap, or get through that pile of unread magazines. Just relax and do nothing. Can’t take an entire weekend off? (That is where I am in life), then schedule one day or one afternoon. Explain to your kids what the plan is, so they don’t come running to you asking what’s for dinner right while you are in the midst of writing a letter. Doing this every 4-6 months can really give you the break you so desperately need and offer a new view of how & what to simplify.

Cancel all calls. Turn off your cell phone. Unplug your landline. Turn off your computer. You can do this for a week, a weekend, a day, or just a few hours. Use the time to read with family. Play a game. Tell stories. Play in with your daughter in her dollhouse. Have a matchbox car Indy 500. Have a tea party. Make a bowl of popcorn and hang out with your favorite teen or teens and talk about nothing! Making time to reconnect face to face instead of through phones and email can make a huge impact on helping you gather your focus on a plan of simple living.

These are my thoughts.