Make Plans to Simplify
Did you know that next week is “National Simplify Your Life Week?” It’s sort of amusing, isn’t it – all the holidays and celebrations that fill our calendars these days? Although, we might not be totally on board with things like National Tater Tot Day or National Fettuccine Alfredo Day (these are real, people!) – we can totally get down with 5 days dedicated to Simplifying Your Life!
The concept of simplifying suggests making things easier…and who doesn’t want that? When was the last time you thought “Geez, I wish this was more complex?” Probably never! An endeavor to simplify infers making things calmer, more streamlined and less complicated. In general, simplifying things suggests a feeling of lightness – that you’re alleviated from the burden of complexity, convolutedness and undue challenge.
At Team KIT, simplification is part of the KIT Life we strive to cultivate and capture everyday. In honor of National Simplify Your Life Week, we wanted to share with all the Beyond Fit Mom’s out there the Top 5 Ways we feel planning can enhance your life and encourage simplicity!
Top 5 Ways that Planning can Simplify Your Life
1. Declutters Your Mind
When we plan, we reduce our anxiety by preparing in advance. Life moves fast and planning helps us prepare for the hours/days/weeks ahead. And this sense of preparedness alleviates anxiety and worry about what’s to come. Planning also increases focus. A cluttered mind does not focus well. Ever heard of the “Monkey Mind?” This is a term popular in yoga, that was first illustrated by the Buddha. This phrase explains that the human mind tends to be filled with a barrage of thoughts every second of the day. The neurons in our brains are likened to tree branches and the “monkey in our mind” swings constantly from branch to branch. This makes it difficult for us to stay still, focus or be present for very long before he swings again to another thought. Planning helps to tame the Monkey Mind and thus allows us more opportunity to focus and enjoy a clearer head and vision.
2. Helps You Feel in Control
Planning, in general, helps us feel more in control of our days. It allows us to chart our course for the future and although plans do inevitably change – we can navigate and correct course by using our planners and planning tools. If you have days where you feel you are putting out one fire after another, then using a daily planner can help you be more in control of your daily events. By planning ahead, you can (within limits) plan out your day and the activities you dedicate your precious minutes to.
3. Stay Aligned with Your Priorities and Goals
We’ve all been there…we might plan to work out 5 days this week, or prep meals at home every Sunday. We have the best of intentions, but without proper planning and attention we let life’s surprises get in the way and before you know it, we missed 3 days of exercise and ate out all week. By making planning a regular part of your life, you can better ensure that your daily actions reflect the intentions that you’ve set. Studies show that writing your goals and intentions down, greatly increases the likelihood you will achieve them. Planning affords us the opportunity to write down the steps necessary to accomplish our goals and serves as a reminder of our priorities; making success a bit simpler for us all! Experts suggest we craft our lives so that success is an easier option than failure – and effective daily planning helps set us up for success!
4. Encourages a Positive Mindset and a Focus on Gratitude
At Team KIT, we’ve always stressed the importance of a daily gratitude practice as well as positive mindset. These practices are integral to all of our planners and products because we know it’s nearly impossible to be negative, angry or sad when you are in a state of thankfulness. Furthermore, gratitude promotes positivity, and a positive mindset is essential for cultivating those feeling of peace, calm, and lightness that we strongly associate with Simplifying our Lives.
5. Removes Mom Guilt
Who among us isn’t familiar with this emotion? We may call it mom guilt, but being a mom is not a prerequisite at all! Guilt robs us all of joy and happiness. But women, especially, fall prey to this emotion! If we perceive we’ve dropped the ball or let anyone or anything down in any way – we tend to let this useless emotion take over. But, when you are a regular and effective planner you are much less likely to misplace things, forget things, drop the ball, miss the deadline, etc. And this means – LESS MOM GUILT!
Simplicity, in our minds and in our lives, doesn’t come automatically these days. But when we incorporate sound principles of planning into our daily habits, we can move the needle in the right direction. By using tools that increase preparedness, productivity and positivity, the result will be days with more accomplishment, a greater ability to live in the present moment and a lightness in our hearts and minds that will indeed leave us with a feeling of sweet simplicity!
If you’re excited about simplifying your life through planning, join us on our journey to Do More, Be More and Give More with the kitlife 2018 daily planner.
Health and Happiness,
Team KIT
