5 Easy Ways To Simplify Your Life (Without Quitting Your Job And Moving To Bali)

Life doesn’t need a total overhaul — just this

Jul 17, 2025

The fastest way to ruin a holiday is to plan too much joy.

Imagine you’ve planned it Five cities. Four museums. A scenic train ride. A sunrise hike. But something in you whispers: make it even better. So you add more. More activities. More sights. More “once-in-a-lifetime” moments.

Because deep down, you’ve absorbed the lie: More = better.

That’s the virus. The Cult of More. It hides in our busy culture. In your overflowing calendar. In the belief that every ache needs another supplement, goal, or routine.

But what if more is the problem? Not the answer. Today I’m not giving you another habit or hack. I’m handing you a match. And a list of things to burn.

Here are 5 things to subtract — if you want your life back.

1. Less scrolling. More living.

Your phone isn’t a tool anymore—it’s a leash.

Every time you pick up your phone “just for a sec,” you’re entering a casino run by trillion-dollar tech giants who want one thing: your attention.

And you’re the jackpot. You check the weather. Now you're neck-deep in a stranger’s breakup and Googling “Why does my left eyelid twitch?”

And time — not money — is your most precious, non-renewable asset. Seneca (that suspiciously modern Stoic) nailed it: we guard our money like Fort Knox… but let people and platforms steal our time with barely a shrug.

Ouch.

Try this scroll detox:

Clear the clutter: Delete apps. Kill notifications. Exit the group chats you secretly hate.

Create no-phone zones: Meals. Bedtime. Morning walks. Make sacred space where your brain can breathe.

The less you scroll, the more your life begins to feel like yours again.

2. Less rush. More breathing room.

What if your obsession with being busy is just fear wearing a productivity costume?

Busyness has become our badge of worth.

“How are you?” Busy!
“How’s work?” Non-stop!
“How’s life?” Manic… but good busy, y’know?

Let’s call this what it is: delusion wrapped in dopamine. Because there’s no such thing as “good busy” if you feel hollow inside. Ecclesiastes 4:6 said it first: Better one handful with peace than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

Translation? More isn’t better. It’s just heavier.

One of my favourite authors, Oliver Burkeman, reminds us: your to-do list will never be empty. That’s not a problem. That’s permission. You don’t have to do it all. You just have to choose well. And you’ll choose better when you’re not sprinting on fumes.

Ask yourself: What if rest isn’t a reward for productivity but a requirement for being human?

If you’re always in motion, don’t be surprised when you lose direction.

3. Less stuff. More peace.

Your junk drawer might be the reason you can’t think straight.

A few years ago, I did something weird. I counted how many clothes I actually needed. Then I gave the rest away. The rule? For every new thing I bought, one old thing had to go. Annoyingly effective.

Why? Because it forced me to confront the real addiction: dopamine through consumption. More stuff never made me feel better. It just made my drawers fuller and my brain foggier.

Marie Kondo was right (damn her): clutter doesn’t just take up space, it steals your peace. You don’t have to become a barefoot minimalist. Just pick one drawer. One shelf. One corner. Start there. And feel your mind exhale.

Cleaning one shelf is cheaper—and more effective—than therapy.

4. Less complaining. More gratitude.

What if your brain isn’t broken—it’s just biased?

Our brains are wired to scan for danger. Great for cavemen. Terrible for relationships, sleep, and sanity. Gratitude is a rebellious act in a world built on dissatisfaction.

Melody Beattie said, “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.”

I’m not saying “just be positive.” I’m saying: don’t be hypnotized by the negative.

Try this:

Name 3 good things on your commute.
Ask your partner: “What made you smile today?”
Replay the text that made you laugh before bed.

It’s not toxic positivity. It’s remembering life isn’t all broken. And neither are you.

Sometimes, the most radical thing you can do is look for what’s still working.

5. Less goals. More fire.

You don’t need more motivation—you need fewer directions.

You’re not lazy. You’re scattered. mYou’ve got 11 goals, 4 side hustles, 3 unread self-help books, and a vision board that’s starting to feel like a joke. No wonder you’re exhausted.

The sun doesn’t get stronger when it lights something on fire. It just gets focused. So should you. For the next 90 days, everything else can wait. You’re not quitting. You’re committing. Because focus creates fire.

Most people don’t need a new goal—they need to shut up and focus.