Designing a Simple Life
Somewhere in my thirties, I decided that I didn’t enjoy multitasking. Then in my forties, I decided I wouldn’t multitask because it wasn’t good for me. It’s a luxury to decide this. Many of my friends have full-time jobs while raising kids, caring for parents, and making marriages work. All that takes a lot of effort, and everyone only has the same 24 hours a day. I have high respect for my friends who can do it all. I am not one of them.
Not necessarily taking a straight line in life, I somehow ended up being single and have started to be thankful for that. I don’t have to drive a kid to soccer practice while being on a call for work while thinking about what to cook for dinner. I can be single-threaded and simple in how I live my life. This suits me well.
Some singles might opt for going out all the time to meet people, party, and date. I don’t have that kind of schedule. Partly because I don’t multitask, I’m selective about who and how I spend my time. To me, time is limited and the most precious resource in this world. Every day, I pick the top priority three or five things to complete and am satisfied with my productivity at my own pace. I’m constantly simplifying my life as a way to use my time wisely.
Furthermore, I avoid having a long list of to-do's or wishes. I’ve become quite good at saying no and doing only things I value the most. I didn’t renew my theater season tickets in two theaters this year because I no longer enjoy the shows as much. Recently, I cut out Twitter and Facebook because I no longer depend on them to keep in touch with people I care about. Whenever I add something new to my life, I throw something out.
As I age, I know better what matters to me: living simply, minimally, and slowly with intention. In addition to time, my mental capacity is also limited. During this holiday break, for ten days, I plan to write, see my primary doctor, speak to a financial advisor, and meet friends for a couple of dinners. Well, it will be a write- and read-cation. A bonus point is playing the piano, a new habit I want to develop. That is it. No more than five to-dos and wish items to close out the year.
I don’t need much and have more than what I need in life. Every day I count my blessing.
How are you living your life, and are you happy with it?
Thanks for sharing your perspective. For better or worse, I tend to deal with time being precious and limited by “making every minute count!” I also married someone who feels even more so. Consequently our lives are “full” (read: overcommitted). When I feel overwhelmed, I’d take a breather by deep cleaning the house, because, you know, kids can’t really do their cleaning chores up to my standards. Haha. There’s got to be a middle ground somewhere. I’m still searching for it after almost 50 years on earth.