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To be honest I love books! I like holding them, smelling the pages, and being able to turn the pages. It’s one of the things I can’t give up in my de-cluttering. I’ve always wanted a library, and I can say that while my collection doesn’t quite fill a room of bookshelves, it sure does fill my bookshelves. While I do occasionally buy an e-book or utilize the kindle unlimited books from Amazon Prime and either read it on the iPad or my laptop, nothing beats unplugging from an electronic screen, cozying up on the couch or in bed with a good page turner! I just finished “Destination Simple” by Brooke Mcalary. and I have to say it is AMAZING!

All that aside, unfortunately I don’t read as often as I would like to. I try and keep my purchases to a minimum because we are trying to pay off debt. If I buy something major that we need one month, I’ll push back some other stuff that is not as important or is a “want” rather than a “need”. Well this month I pulled the trigger on my “wants”. We’ve been needing new pillows for the couch and I finally settled on ones where you can interchange the pillow cases depending on the season. I ended up buying two velvet pillow cases and two linen pillow cases for them.  My reading list is quite long as well, but I also purchased “Destination Simple”.

“Destination Simple” has been on my reading list since I first started the journey towards a simple life. I have to say it is THE BEST book so far I have read regarding the mindset on simple living. It mentions nothing about strategies for physically de-cluttering your life…and I love it! A few weeks ago I wrote a post regarding “The Downside to Minimalism” and if you read that post you will understand that while de-cluttering may be a way for you to simplify your life, purging does not and should not define minimalism and simple living. This book is also the perfect size to keep on you at all times (in your purse, a backpack, a travel carrier; really anywhere you may be headed) to use as a reference when you are trying to implement your daily rituals.

So what does this book actually entail? The basic foundation principles of simple living of course! Simplifying your life does not happen overnight or when you try to change all of your routines, purge your stuff, and start taking a whole bunch of time for yourself all at once. Oftentimes doing all of that ends in failure and you revert back to your old ways soon after. “Destination Simple” hones in on the key principles of being intentional and mindful in your daily life that will help you live a simpler, happier life you want.

Single-Tasking

Literally EVERYONE multi-tasks. It doesn’t have to be big significant projects, it could even include your daily tasks that need to get completed. I know I like listening to music while I clean or am working in the garage on a new project. I listen to podcasts as I’m driving to work. You could be talking on the phone while you are doing laundry, cleaning up the table, or doing dishes.

We are efficient and productive if we multi-task, right? It’s what we are always told when we have multiple deadlines to meet. Or when we are working in a fast-paced environment and people seem to be pulling us in a bunch of different directions. However, it can be extremely exhausting! Are we really completing our best work when we multi-task?

While we cannot single-task all day as it is impractical, we can at least do one task daily that is single-tasking. We can focus solely on that one task and fully immerse ourselves in experiencing it and enjoying it. It allows us to be mindful in completing that one task.

Unplug

We are literally connected to technology around the clock. We have our phones within an arms reach all the time. If we need to look up something, Google is right there to answer it. There’s a lot of us that sit in front of a computer all day for work. Then we get home and turn on the TV to “relax” or flip through email, Instagram, or Facebook before bed. We all know how bad for us it is.

Whether we know it or not, we all have 15 minutes a day we can set aside to unplug from our devices. We just need to schedule it…and be committed. I plan to set aside time before bed dedicated to reading or writing and talking to the hubs. You could schedule additional time during the day and go for a walk, play with your kids, meditate, or just sit quietly.

De-cluttering Your Mind

Simple living and minimalism are often associated with de-cluttering your physical possessions. However, one of the most important aspects of simple living and minimalism is the ability to de-clutter your mind. Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night because you suddenly remembered something you forgot to do that day? Does your mind wander to all of the things that you need to get done while in the middle of something else?

The idea of brain-dumping was a new concept to me, but it literally takes 5 minutes in the evening to write down everything running through our mind. Whether it’s stuff we need to get done the next day, stuff we accomplished that day, things that make us happy, etc. it is a great exercise to wrap up the day and prepare for the next. Our minds won’t wander during our other daily activities as much since we aren’t constantly worrying about everything we need to do or haven’t done.

Your Top 3 Goals

If you are like me, you’ve got to-do lists that are never-ending. Some have been on the list for months! It seems like the list never gets shorter and only grows longer. However, we can very easily get overwhelmed by our lengthy to-do lists. If we start prioritizing the top 3 items to accomplish each day, the list will seem less daunting, we will feel like we have actually accomplished something, and we are less likely to procrastinate – which makes our to-do lists even longer!

Gratitude

It can be hard to see a silver lining of a situation when the whole day appears to be a disaster. If we set a few moments a day aside to recognize 3-5 things that we are thankful for, it can very easily make you less bitter and more happy. I am thankful for a supportive husband and family, two dogs to cuddle with at night, a roof over my head, and being able to pay off debt.

Routines

Brooke also discusses the importance of establishing routines (and why she actually prefers the term “rhythm” vs “routine”). She states that the key to establishing routines is to determine the essential tasks that need to be completed and any additional items that would be nice to complete but aren’t necessary. Be sure to estimate the time needed to complete each task for a better idea of what time you and your household need to get up (if it’s your morning routine) or what you can reasonably fit into that timeframe if you aren’t willing to rise earlier. It’s also helpful to evaluate what currently is not working in each of your routines so you can address those weaknesses and create the best routine for you. Are there tasks such as making lunch that have to be completed but could free up some time in the morning if added to your evening routine instead?

I wrote a post a little while ago titled “The Power and Importance of Routines” and how it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit. While the first draft of a routine might not be smooth sailing, you should at least try a routine for 3-5 days before tweaking it. When you finally find a routine that works for you, be committed to forming the new habit to the point you’d be able to complete it in your sleep. And don’t forget to add in a few additional minutes of “wiggle room” to prevent any unnecessary stress in case your tasks take longer than expected.

These are just some of the concepts discussed in Brooke’s “Destination Simple“. For every ritual or rhythm she discusses she also provides simple, actionable steps and exercises. One of the last chapters in her book she discusses why you’ll never be happy in your life if you are trying to obtain “work-life balance.” Seriously…it’s a mind-blowing game changer! While this book covers the basic principles of simple living it is great for both new or seasoned “simple lifers”. It serves as the perfect pocket reference whether you are implementing new routines or just need a little reminder now and then to find calm and unwind. This book lives permanently on my desk now. You will not be disappointed!