Organize IT

The process of simplifying ones lifestyle is very much a response to the increasingly complex lives that people find themselves in nowadays. When you have hundreds of emails a day, dozens of social contacts to manage and a deluge of information and entertainment to process, it’s all too easy to lose sight of what’s really important. Whether you’re finding ways of functioning more efficiently or you’re just cutting out all the excess in your life, the intention is always the same. We’re all looking for ways to cope with our complicated and hectic lifestyles.

It seems that simplifying your life is the big personal-growth trend right now, pushed by sites like Zen Habits. Personal productivity has had it’s day in the spotlight, now it’s the turn of simplifying, streamlining, identifying the essential, or whatever you want to call it. Goodbye David Allen and say hello Leo Babauta (or maybe not). We’ve gone from focusing on being super-efficient to being super-effective, almost like a bunch of fashionistas going from black to grey… and back again. However, simplifying your life isn’t, ironically, as simple as you might think. Consider the following problems with it:

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It’s several years old now but do you remember The Matrix? In it humans were used literally as batteries to feed their machine masters. The analogy of humans as batteries actually isn’t far wrong. If you’ve ever worked flat out at work for a week and then felt run down and exhausted several days afterwards, your battery levels are running low. A lot of people know this happens, can see the signs and typically take action (lying in on a Sunday, for example). However, what’s not so recognized is that when your body is running on low it also manifests itself mentally. Feel down, fed up, not motivated to do anything? You need to recharge those batteries.

The consequences of any big dramatic action or decision is usually pretty obvious. Buying a house is naturally going to make a big impact on your finances. Changing your job will also shake up your lifestyle, at least temporarily. However, I’ve found that it’s often the little decisions and small things in life that, though seemingly minor, can have the biggest consequences, especially in the long term.

In April, the second issue of Productive Magazine came out and I’m in it again. Thanks to the guys at Nozbe for including one of my blog posts. As ever, you’ve done a great job producing a very professional looking magazine. As for the rest of the month, below are my top blog posts from April. Whether you want to know more about the weekly review, why you shouldn’t lie on your to-do list or how you can stay on the productivity wagon, there should be something of interest for you. As ever, please share your thoughts and comments on any post you’ve missed.