How I Have Simplified My Life

This is everything I have done to simplify the digital, physical, and mental aspects of my life.

Digital

• Use .txt files for my notes.
• Set my wallpaper to solid gray and do not have any desktop icons.
• Reduced my applications to only the most necessary.
• Replaced applications that use a lot of resources.
• I self-host as many applications as possible.
• I removed analytics and most formatting from this website to slim it down and speed it up.

Physical

This one is a bit harder to quantify and layout exactly what I have done. As of now, it is a journey to freedom from objects (digital included). Basically, I want to own the fewest things possible while still living a life that brings me joy.

Also, the things I do own I would like to be as simple as possible. This means owning a scrubbing brush rather than a power washer to clean my deck and a hand saw rather than an electric circular saw to cut boards. It is easy to think the tools that are more "efficient" are better, but what I have found is that these replacements come with several additional issues and stressors. Electronics are more likely to break than manual gadgets, they require a larger upfront cost and often an ongoing upkeep cost (not just for maintenance, but things like gas and electricity as well), and they rob us of the opportunity to get a good workout and enjoy the sounds of nature without a blaring engine destroying our ears.

I will not lie, this has been a struggle for me. Every time I do something labor or time intensive, especially the chores I do regularly, the best tool to make the job easier pops into my head and I start wondering if it might be time to buy it. I have to remind myself to shove that desire for ease aside and focus on the positive aspects of the chore at hand. However, I find that this gets easier with time, practice, and discipline.

Mental

I am still noodling on this one. Coming soon.