9 Minimalist Habits That Will Save You Hours For Sure ????
Sarvagya Pratap
Builder of Digital Solutions | Associate Manager Business Operations | Tech-savvy | Enhancing Technical Operational Efficiency & Business Growth | Explorer of 13+ Indian States
Minimalism is a lifestyle choice that allows us to be more conscious of our choices and practice restraint.
It’s an empowering lifestyle choice that allows us to gain control of our time and energy.
By simplifying our lives, we become more efficient with our tasks and free up hours of unnecessary workload — which, in turn, helps us achieve the most out of our day so that we can spend less time stressing and more time living.
Nine minimalist habits that will save you hours include:
Let’s dive in!
1.) Get rid of 1 thing every day
Here’s the game plan: pick one item each day that’s not pulling its weight, doesn’t spark joy, or simply doesn’t vibe with your current groove.
Then, bid it farewell.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it: focus on shedding just one thing every day. It’s like a daily cleanse of your belongings.
Why? Because, let’s be real, most of us are drowning in a sea of “stuff” that promises comfort and value but often falls short.
As you wave goodbye to these items, a magical transformation happens:
Feel like turning this into a friendly competition? Grab a buddy and make it a challenge — the first to skip a day loses.
2.) Build a capsule wardrobe
Picture this: a concise and streamlined wardrobe selection, carefully chosen to work seamlessly together throughout the season or even the entire year.
It’s all about quality over quantity, simplifying your closet, and making each morning stress-free.
Now, let’s talk stats. According to Marks & Spencer, the average person spends a whopping 17 minutes a day deciding what to wear. That’s four full days or six months of your life — purely dedicated to choosing an outfit.
Mind-blowing, right?
So, let’s dive into the capsule magic. Here’s the game plan:
3.) Buy high-quality things
Let’s talk money rules. I have 10 that I live by, and here’s Rule #3: “Buy the best and keep it as long as possible.”
Believe it or not, cheap is almost always more expensive. Let me break it down.
So, how does this apply to my 32-item wardrobe, all from the same brand? They might not be the cheapest, but with a minimal wardrobe, I’m investing in quality, comfort, and longevity.
Sure, I spent more upfront, but it’s a savvy financial move in the long run. Invest wisely, and save more.
4.) Unsubscribe from emails
On average, we spend a whopping 28% of our workday tackling emails — about 120 messages a day, and we’re checking our inbox roughly 11 times per hour.
That’s 88 times during a regular workday.
Now, the real question: Is your inbox adding value or stealing time? Time for a closer look.
Unsubscribing liberates you from the chains of useless emails, giving you more room to focus on what truly matters.
So, gear up and start hitting that ‘unsubscribe’ button. Free yourself from email torture; one click at a time.
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5.) Streamline your finances
I don’t have a magic wand regarding finances, but I do have a game-changer: automation. Instead of juggling bills like a circus performer, let’s make our money do the heavy lifting, freeing up your mental space.
No, we’re not going for a completely hands-off approach; that might backfire. The idea is to shift from actively handling every penny to supervising it from a distance.
Here are the keys:
How do we make this magic happen? Forget complex spreadsheets.
Why is this important? Awareness. Before you dive into the financial playground, you need to understand the lay of the land.
Once you’ve got the 411, you can automate and adjust your financial moves, such as:
Full disclosure: My finances are fully automated. Set it, forget it. From bills to investments, I want to strategize, not wrestle with financial admin.
6.) De-weaponize your device
Let’s talk about our trusty sidekick, the phone — a time-devouring beast if not tamed. Ready to de-weaponize this tech giant?
Here’s the battle plan:
Personally, I’ve set daily time limits for social media, buried them in folders, and used the ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode judiciously. Let’s make our phones work for us, not against us.
7.) Prune your to-do list
As businessman Tim Collins said: “If you have more than three priorities, then you don’t have any.”
Now, three might sound bare, but the essence is crucial — keep your priorities laser-focused. The more on your plate, the higher the risk of scattering your efforts.
Craft a killer to-do list:
Need a nudge in the right direction? Enter the Ivy Lee Method. Here’s the shortened version:
8.) Use the 2-Minute Rule
Ever heard of the 2-Minute Rule? It’s a game-changer.
Here’s the golden nugget: If a task takes less than 2 minutes, do it now. Why? Because tasks have a sneaky tendency to morph into giants the longer we procrastinate.
We’re in the driver’s seat today, knowing our energy levels, workload, and limitations. But, tomorrow is a wild card.
Sleepless night? Emergency meeting? Surprise sickness? Life happens, and it doesn’t care about our color-coded calendars.
So, tackle those quick tasks today in order to prevent tomorrow from being overrun by a cascade of small tasks.
Let’s keep the pipes of productivity flowing freely, avoiding the looming tower of tiny to-dos that can overshadow the important stuff.
9.) Build an idea capture system
Ever wondered what the inside of our minds would look like if we could tour them, Charlie’s Chocolate Factory-style? It’s a creation factory, buzzing with problem-solving machines, creativity presses, and idea printers.
But here’s the catch: our ‘mind factory’ is for having ideas, not holding them. Holding onto ideas disrupts our production capabilities.
To avoid this catastrophe, capture any thought that excites, interests, or energizes you. How? Use tools like Notion or your phone’s notes app.
Conclusion
There you have it — 9 minimalist habits that will save you hours. I hope the examples and definitions in this guide help you embrace the liberating power of minimalism.