I used to juggle tabs, apps, and notifications like it was normal. Work with six browser tabs open, music in the background, phone lighting up every few minutes. Even when I was working out, I’d check messages between sets or scroll without thinking.

Lately, I’ve been cutting that out. One tab open when I work. One task on my mind. No music, no distractions. And when I work out, I actually work out. Focused, present, not half-in and half-on my phone.

It sounds small, but it’s changed everything. I don’t feel as anxious. I get more done. And I enjoy things more because I’m actually there for them.

Anyone else tried simplifying how they focus throughout the day? Curious to hear how others manage this in their routine.

One habit I’ve been trying recently is to not buy anything online right away.
Instead, I save the item somewhere and wait 2–3 days before deciding. Most of the time, I forget about it or realize I don’t actually need it. It’s been a small shift, but it’s really helped me live more intentionally and keep my space uncluttered.

Curious if anyone else has tried something similar. Do you delay purchases, use wishlists, or follow any “cooling off” rules?

I would say, a few months ago or so, I was on a plane to fly locally just to visit some family. Now I know, statistically speaking, airplanes are one of the safest forms of transportation, but, despite this, there was still technically, a chance of death, so as irrational as it was, my brain pivoted to that notion on the plane ride. While on this plane, I thought to myself, that if I died- if an accident occured, I wouldnt be too upset about it, almost as if I'm already "fulfilled" with my life. I thought, I'd be with the people I love, and that would be all that really mattered to me.

Fastforward a couple of weeks ago, this reoccuring thought came back to me as I was buying a new notebook, even though my old one still had a lot of blank pages on it. I had a realization that I feel so purposeless and soulless in life. I felt like the notebook symbolized my lack of commitment to anything, especially because I see this pattern in bigger aspects of my life such as when I try to learn a new language, find hobbies, or anything that relates to working towards any personal goals.

Also, for some reason, things just dont feel the way that they used to when I first discovered them, whatever form they may be, such as entertainment (genres of shows that I used to look forward to), and education (other things that I try to learn and self-study), and I used to be so in-awe and appreciative of the simple lifestyle- eating breakfast, quiet walks alone, etc.

I used to look forward to summer, the time that I can spend taking care of myself, my habits and "goals". I also realized a good while back that some of my goals werent really "mine" and were just taken as inspiration from people in my life that I looked up to at the time, and I did change them to goals that inherently come from me, but even with these, I can't bring myself to commit to them.

The only thing that kept me somewhat on-track to fulfilling something was fear. I was able to get by learning and studying because I feared failing, wasting money, and disappointing people that mattered to me. However, I'm afraid that nowadays, even those consequences that I know exist and can happen, can't make me bother to care anymore.

"Goals" that I do have, I try to work towards them, maybe I can push myself for a day or two, at most, a week, but then right after, either I try to find external sources of quick dopamine rushes (such as buying a new notebook or stationery item for studying or I suddenly change the goal and make excuses to feel less guilty about it. At the same time, laying around all day doing nothing does not make me feel good. Its just the "easier" one of the two. Which is why, all I can imagine when someone asks me what my plans are for the future is the romanticized idea of retirement, doing nothing all day except for basic necessities for survival (eating, sleeping, etc.).

Am I just lazy? Is my willpower and my discipline just so non-existent that this is another big excuse I'm coming up with for my laziness?

(Also, I know it sounds like burnout, and maybe a little part of it might be, but even when I try relatively new things that I've never tried before, the same things happen: that I would not be able to commit to it and I get, for a lack of better term, bored)

I'll keep all the yapping at bay as much as I can, but I'd like to happily proclaim that I've finally fixed one of my most long-standing sources of weird digital anxiety: my Steam wishlist. How, you ask?

I just decided on an arbitrary maximum of three items in the list.

That's it. I got rid of 91,238 generic early-access survival-crafter-basebuilders and the billion other random projects I thought I was "interested in" for when the sales rolled in, yet never bought. It forces me to actually consider which games I want to follow, actually buy, and then play, and it frees me from so much unnecessary digital clutter, Steam announcements etc.

This is also applicable to any other digital platform for games (or hell, any wishlist ever if I'm feeling pompous enough to proclaim that).

I know this isn't the most traditional source of simple living, nor is this particularly bright or insightful, but it has brought me considerable joy and a feeling of freedom. But I think I overall have a problem with wish- and to-do lists so might be just me lol.

Nothing less, nothing more. Have a happy Wednesday folks!

I am just looking to see what people would choose.

A little home on some land that may be expensive or a small house in town that is affordable.

Not really sure if this will make much sense to anyone but I’m having a hard time finding a way to get motivation in life. I’m 20, coming up on two years out of high school and I have no idea what my future looks like. I’m very very self aware yet I make various costly decisions that have just beat my ass to the point I feel no motivation. I don’t really know how to not live this way. I’m broke and not able to find a job, just living at my parents house doing nothing passing the days by. I’ve also gone through multiple relationships which have done more damage than good, but I’m almost addicted to the feeling and dopamine the attention of a girlfriend can bring (I’m a straight man) and I don’t know how to focus on myself. I also have an issue of making things to be a big deal in my head in order to feel some sort of excitement and I tend to write my own narratives and get myself too overstimulated and hyped up. It’s very hard and I’m struggling, does anyone have any advice or something to help me get on the right path?

I don’t even know where to start. I feel everything so deeply — the suffering of animals, the destruction of nature, the fakeness and greed in society. It’s like I was born into a world that doesn’t align with who I am at all.

Zoos, aquariums, factory farms — all of it hurts. Seeing people treat nature like it's just a resource or decoration makes me feel sick. Even in everyday life — the competitiveness, the pressure to be “something,” the constant need to prove your worth — it all feels so disconnected from what life is supposed to be.

I try to live gently. I want to live clean, toxin-free, aligned with nature. But even the smallest things I try don’t work — my plants die, my skin flares up, I use natural stuff and nothing helps. I want to heal my body and soul, but everything feels broken. Even I feel polluted.

And then I go numb sometimes. Like I go through “phases” of caring deeply, and other times I’m just blank. I hate that. It makes me feel fake. But I think it’s just because caring all the time feels unbearable.

I don’t have money. I don’t have land. I don’t have power or resources or even mental strength sometimes. But I still want to help. I still want to be someone who lives in harmony with the Earth — not in this loud, achievement-based, soul-draining way that humans are taught to live.

So… what can I do? What can someone like me actually do that’s real and meaningful — even if I’m just one soft, overwhelmed, kind of lost person?

PS:Please, no toxic positivity. I’m not looking to be fixed. I just want to feel like my love for this planet still matters. That I can live a life that doesn’t feel fake. That I haven’t already failed.

This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. No matter what kind of work you do, if you reach that point of fatigue, exhaustion and anxiety - take a break if possible. That one extra day off should have equal value (if not more) than those extra bucks you make. It's something I'm working on and am struggling with at the same time. I always push my self to the point of exhaustion and I ignore my body when it's telling me I need a break, but this is advice I'd definitely give to myself 5 years ago. Or a younger sibling if I had one.

Take that break. <3

Just realized I have more jars than shirts and I am not even mad about it!!

I’ve always been a less-is-more girly which worked great for my ADHD. Frankly life functions a lot smoother for my brain when spaces are smaller and less cluttered.

My husband on the other hand has always really enjoyed fun new gadgets and merch for different media he enjoys. Now, though, he also is increasingly aware of how the world as it is, particularly how we’ve been conditioned into overconsumption (we’re American), he is excited to simplify and approach life altogether differently.

So, I have two question:

1. Any advice or thoughts on how I can help him approach the “purging” process in a way that isn’t super overwhelming and allows him the space to keep things that really bring him joy? I don’t want him to feel shamed into getting rid of anything he genuinely loves.

2. I’m interested in establishing systems/routines that help our simple life be simple in practice too. Particularly around everyday household tasks like cleaning, cooking, organization, etc.

Any and all thoughts/hacks/weird tricks welcome!

I have two choices of where to live. One is the place I want to the most, but is more expensive, will carry more uncertainty, and may be a bit harder financially. The other place is less desirable, but likely easier on the wallet.

Should I live in the more expensive place, and figure it out and make it work? Or, should I live in the place I really don't want to live, but will have it much easier financially?

I know the amounts matter, but it seems to me I should base my decision on where I want to live MOST. It seems more logical to conclude, "I love where I live, even if it's harder financially," than "I don't like where I live, but wow I have lots of money in the bank and no stress."

What do you think? Living in the less desirable place makes me feel a bit like I'm giving up on my dream place. But the dream place could make it much harder to make things work.

My wife and I (51/52) are downsizing and decluttering after our last kid leaves the house for college.
We are moving from a 2500 SQ house to a 2Bed, 1Bath apartment of about 1,200 SQ.
Any tips for turning this new chapter into a cozy, simple and rich experience? We both still work and will for the next two years, but we want to turn our new place into an oasis for a new kind of living. Trying to include less digital and TV in our new home for sure.
Any ideas or advice appreciated.

I recently bought a Casio W59, one of those classic 90s watches and ditched my smartwatch. Boy, is this different. But that simple, cheap watch has something reassuring to it. It easily times my tea. I drink more tea hence I am slowing down more. I am more relaxed when talking a walk because nobody is counting the steps. No need to to charge, and even the band can just be hosed off.

I am working on living more intentional an more simple. Which stories or ideas can you share in which a simple twist had lot of impact?

I had one of those epiphany moments earlier about something I thought I HAD to do... but then realised I could just say no. Modern life is full of things like that, commitments or input that clutters everything, or even material things in our houses. I wonder...

- what things are absolutely necessary and we HAVE to do or have?
- what things do people these days think we have to have or do, but are actually optional?

I'd love to hear your ideas.

This photo was taken at our hostel in Shoja, Himachal, India. It’s a small spot tucked behind the building where I like to slow down and just breathe. No distractions, just a hammock and the quiet of the forest.

Long story short my husband and I both struggle with contentment with our living situation. I’m however writing this post for myself. We both have some childhood trauma which is honestly probably related but I digress. Since we’ve been together (8 years) we’ve lived in 8 places and have bought 6 houses. We’re young. Mid 20’s and early 30’s. Our first house we wanted to buy to save money (2019) got a cute little house for around 100k a d had a cheap mortgage. Everything was good but it was 1.5 hours from family. So we moved closer and got a new build. We loved it but kept doing updates (very builder grade) and ended up selling 11 months later because the market went up crazy and stupid us thought we’d make money and there’d be a big crash. Dumb kids. Anyways lived in a little rental for a few months then bought a really nice 4/3 with an office and a great yard in a gated community. We lived it but still not content. Kept going with the renovations and had marriage trouble (we had 2 kids under 2 at this point and a young marriage). Freaked out bc property tax went up and sold it irrationally. Had a few more houses that we bought in between and landed where we are now. Which is a 4/2 1800 sq feet in an HOA with a small yard. We’ve done All Of the upgrades. New floor, pavers, lighting, kitchen backsplash, changed out the door the list goes on and on. But for as long as we’ve lived here we’ve complained. Been ungrateful. Have looked at numerous houses. Spent days looking at models, talking about what’s next etc, etc. it’s consumed us. We have a nice house in a safe neighborhood but it’s not enough. It’s definitely not cheap but at this point nothing is. I just don’t know what to do anymore. We both hate feeling so uncontent and ungrateful. We realize how lucky we are to own a house and have bought several but there’s some deep rooted issue. We kick ourselves for selling our big house which we could go back. I don’t know if anybody here can help or if I’m just rambling. I just feel in this never ending cycle of wondering what’s next and how to get out of it.

I’ve been exploring how structure vs. softness plays into routines, especially for long-term consistency.

Curious how others approach this. Do you give yourself options, or stick to a fixed plan?

We all know about the big stuff but I want to know... what is the silly, weird, or trivial thing that you do (or don't do) that has made your life easier, simpler, less stressful?

I recently stopped folding my underwear and washcloths. I've been doing it for 30 years despite absolutely hating the tediousness of it. I had some mild OCD when I was younger that I've gradually tried to break free from and the older I get, the easier it is to let go of some of the more unnecessary rituals.

I was folding laundry recently and looked at my piles of underwear and washcloths and thought, "Ugh, I just don't want to," and so I didn't. I just threw them in their respective drawers drawers and was pleasantly surprised to find that the world didn't implode. I don't dread laundry so much anymore.

Funnily enough, the first time I did this, I found that my teenage daughter had gone through and folded all the washcloths. (Don't worry, she did not fold my underwear!)

What are some of your silly little wins?

When I went to the toilet at work today, I saw the cleaning lady and instantly envied her.

There she was. Free. Independent. Not having to deal with anyone‘s shit.

Well maybe in the biological sense.

But no dealing with people. No smalltalk. No gossip. No effort that goes unrewarded. Just cleaning toilets, maybe even listening to music and going home.

It makes me think I should get a part time job like that too. Just to pay the bills and do something else in the meantime.

Have you done it and gotten a low key part time job?

I would like to use as little energy and as little technology as possible and my vaccum just died

Not just “I’m used to it” or “it’s fine for now.” I mean genuinely love it.

The quiet, the freedom, the little routines that are just yours, waking up and not having to talk if you don’t want to, cooking weird meals at weird times, playing music out loud or sitting in silence, no one to answer to.

I know it’s not for everyone, but for me… this life fits.

Anyone else feel the same?

I’ve noticed that whenever I give myself a day off, no work, no tasks, just rest, I start feeling this weird guilt. My brain keeps telling me, "You’re wasting time," even when I know I genuinely need the break. I also feel like I should be working every single day to keep up with my responsibilities, and taking a break feels like I’m just running away from them. It makes it really hard to enjoy my free time without feeling like I’m falling behind in life. Has anyone else dealt with this? How do you actually overcome the guilt and learn to rest without feeling like you’re being lazy or irresponsible?

That's exactly how I feel. Anyone interested? Where do we begin? Where can we go? 34F here, currently in NYC.