Simple Living
# Live Better, With Less The concept of simple living is difficult to clearly define, and means something different to everyone, but it *does* have one similarity across most of the descriptions that we've compiled: **less.** Just *what* exactly people are doing better with less of, exactly, varies a lot. You might find that not all of these topics are for you. And that's okay! The internet is an amazing place with many different communities. While we allow all different kinds of simple living related content here, there are also many more specific communities that may cater to you. If you know of notable places in the Fediverse that deserve a shout here, let us know! Here are some examples of some of the common themes of what people often speak of going with less of when it comes to simple living, and a list of what that might look like: #### Less Stuff For one reason or another, some of us feel like we're drowning in stuff. Excess possessions fill one's living space, make moving more difficult, and require more cleaning and maintenance. Much of it isn't even stuff that we really wanted, but stuff that we felt pressured or compelled to buy. * Decluttering * Going on a low-buy, or no-buy * Joining a tool share, or thing library * Learning about the [Story of Stuff](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GorqroigqM) #### Less Work A full 40+ hour work schedule can leave a lot of us feeling very unfulfilled and without enough time to do what we actually love. And though it can be financially difficult, with careful planning it is possible for many to trim down to fewer hours, or to retire early. * Finding a more fulfilling job * Working fewer hours at your current job to allow for a better work–life balance * Continuing to work, but saving money and reducing expenses in order to retire early (often known as "lean FIRE") #### Less Stress This one is harder to qualify, but there are many ways to reduce stress in one's life. Removing the stressors is the best option, but that would encompass far too many topics to link here. * Meditating * Cognitive behavioural therapy, or Stoic practice * Learning to set and uphold personal boundaries #### Less Technology In the modern day, many people can feel like they're "chained" to their phone, or to technology in general. Social media is engineered to keep people in a cycle of engagement, often preying on outrage to keep up scrolling, clicking, and arguing. * Taking an "offline day" * Switching to a feature phone * Using apps to limit notifications, and/or apply timers to your screen time * Disengaging from social media # So, what does Simple Living mean to you? Part of the difficulty of creating a clear description for this community is that simple living can mean something very different to each person you ask. Exactly *how* someone lives better with less is entirely up to them. This is why this community cannot help you determine a direction if you don't know what you want out of your life. Imagining a simpler life for yourself requires self-reflection. Mindfulness is an important skill that can help you achieve this goal. #### Eliminating the Bad During moments where you find yourself overwhelmed by something, take a moment to center yourself in the moment and analyze your thoughts and feelings. * *What* is causing you stress in this moment? * *How* could you take steps to reduce this stressor in your life? Every time you move towards reducing these stressors, you're taking a step towards simple living. #### Cultivating the Good But simple living isn't just reductive! We also need to cultivate happiness in our lives in the extra space and time that we carve out of our lives through that reduction, and focus on what's truly important. When you find yourself having a moment where you're experiencing joy, take a moment to center yourself in that moment and ask yourself some questions: * *Why* am I so happy in this moment? * Is this something that I can cultivate *more* of in my life? And finally, there is the more neutral task of reflecting on your longterm desires. You can do this any time you have the time, but it is likely to be more productive once you've achieved some clarity about what you truly like and dislike about life. * What does an ideal day look like for you? * How do you wake up? On your own terms, or with an alarm? Early, or late? * How do you do about your morning routine What kind of rituals do you have? * What kinds of activities do you carry out? * Do you spend time with other people? * Is your environment different in this ideal day than it is in your current life? How does it differ? * What does an ideal week look like to you? * Is your ideal day something that you would only need on weekends, or is it something that you'd like to experience more often than that? * If you do have work in your ideal week, is it structured, or unstructured (self-directed) ? How many days per week do you work? How many hours per day? The intention of these exercises is to get to the root of what you truly value. Consider this the framework for the simple life you aspire to — it may just be a dream that you try to incorporate aspects of into your daily life, or it may be a longterm goal that you work towards.
A lot of people feel drawn to simple living or digital minimalism because they feel a constant need to be connected and stay up to date, and feel less and less in control because of the attention economy and how algorithms are developed to maximize your attention. While the fediverse might not work in the same exploitative way as centralised services does, there's still a feedback loop that keeps you coming back. To what extent does the problems of the attention economy on the human mind plague the fediverse? Is replacing centralised services with Lemmy/Mbin/Piefed and Mastodon just opting for a "lesser evil" in a sense? What are your thoughts?
[!eudaimonia@lemmy.dbzer0.com](https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/c/eudaimonia) Thought it might interest members of this community
Source post: https://slrpnk.net/post/7848456 !memes@slrpnk.net
fd93.me
cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/11313235 > Hey all, I wrote this article with some practical advice on how to resist the attention economy (think notifications, shorts, ads, etc) by setting up a desktop for mindful engagement. > > It also includes a VirtualBox VM with a lightweight sample environment so you can try it out and see what I mean in the article. > > Hope this is helpful! :)
cross-posted from: https://piefed.social/post/36176 > The image is a graphic titled "the real luxuries," highlighting simple yet profound pleasures in life. It features a two-column list with illustrations and corresponding text for each item: > > > > "a good night's sleep" with an icon of a pillow and Z's, representing sleep. > > "slow mornings" accompanied by a coffee cup icon. > > "freedom to choose" symbolized by an open hand with a heart in the center. > > "time for fun and play" depicted with an artist's palette and brushes. > > "listening to birds singing" with an illustration of a bird on a branch with musical notes. > > "long walks" represented by a tree. > > "a good book" shown with a book icon. > > "favorite home-cooked meal" with a bowl of food. > > "colorful sunsets" with a sun partly below a horizon line. > > "ability to freely express yourself" symbolized by a flame. > > "day naps" with a cloud and moon indicating sleep. > > "a good conversation" depicted by two hands in a handshake gesture. > > > > The overall message is an appreciation for life's simple joys, depicted in a clean, minimalist design with blue icons and text on a white background.
www.theplainsimplelife.com
Have you read any from that list? What are your recommended books on the topic?
www.youtube.com
Hirayama works as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. He seems content with his simple life. He follows a structured everyday life and dedicates his free time to his passion for music and books. Hirayama also has a fondness for trees and photographs them. More of his past is gradually revealed through a series of unexpected encounters.
> *Golden* is a field guide to getting beyond the noise—not just the noise in our ears, but also on our screens and in our heads. Drawing on lessons from neuroscience, business, spirituality, politics, and the arts, Marz and Zorn explore why auditory, informational, and internal silence is essential for physical health, mental clarity, ecological sustainability, and vibrant community. They show how to go beyond the ordinary rules and tools of mindfulness to help individuals, families, organizations, and whole societies dial down the noise and find pristine attention.
Christmas is coming and I have a two year old and a five year old. My wife and I are pretty stumped about what to get our kids for Christmas. The two year old is easy; he doesn't care, will be thrilled with a ball, and just happy to be included. The five year old is very down to earth and grateful for anything, but he already has everything he needs because up to now we've tried to be smart about buying him things that will last and give him good enjoyment mileage. He has plenty of Legos, an assortment of figurines (farm animals, fantasy creatures, little play houses, action figures, cars.), plenty of outside balls and whatnot. He also doesn't need consumable stuff (has plenty of candy from Halloween, crayons, coloring books, crafty supplies) He doesn't need more stuff, but we still want Christmas morning to feel special and exciting and we want him to have a good "Santa came!!!" experience. I like the idea of giving experiences like tickets to Disney on Ice or a voucher to an ice cream shop, but that just doesn't have the same effect for a five year old, cause he can't hold it and it's really just a promise for the future. Any advice or suggestions would be really appreciated! Thank you all and much love from me to you!
www.gutenberg.org
I've read a few books about simple living/minimalism but I just finished 'Walden' and wow... it's beautiful. Many patient observations of simple natural phenomenon are wonderful meditations and potent lessons. It seemed just as relevant to present times as to when it was written. I finished feeling like there's so much more to extract from that book, definitely going to read again! Maybe you were aware, but if not I wanted to share with you fine folks in case you've missed this gem like I had. It is in the public domain in the US (published 1854) so you can get the [ebook](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/205) or [audiobook](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26289) for free from [Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/)!
www.bbc.com
**Summary** * The article discusses the concept of information overload and how it can lead to analysis paralysis. * The author argues that randomness can be a helpful tool for overcoming choice overload. * The author cites a study that found that people who were given a random decision prompt were more likely to be satisfied with their decision than those who were not given a prompt. * The author concludes by saying that while randomness is not a perfect solution, it can be a helpful tool for making decisions when we are feeling overwhelmed by choice. **Key Points** * Choice overload occurs when we are presented with too many options, which can make it difficult to choose one. * This can lead to analysis paralysis, which is the inability to make a decision because we are too busy considering all of the options. * Randomness can help us to overcome choice overload by forcing us to make a decision without overthinking it. * This can be done by flipping a coin, rolling a die, or using another randomizing device. * While randomness is not a perfect solution, it can be a helpful tool for making decisions when we are feeling overwhelmed by choice.
seths.blog
Not sure if this is really Le Guin's or not, but sounds good. The blog is copied verbatim. **The Le Guin precepts** Fabled author Ursula Le Guin had a sign over her desk: * Is it true? * Is it necessary or at least useful? * Is it compassionate or at least unharmful? Not a bad place to begin.
edition.cnn.com
**Summary** * A meta-analysis, [published in February 2022](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-022-01649-4), found that walking for 2-5 minutes after eating can help lower blood sugar levels. * This is because walking helps to clear glucose from the bloodstream. * Standing after a meal can also help, but not as much as walking. * The ideal time to go for a walk after eating is within 60-90 minutes. **Additional Details** The meta-analysis analyzed seven studies comparing the impact of sitting, standing and walking on the body’s insulin and blood sugar levels. >People in the studies were asked either to stand or walk for two to five minutes every 20 to 30 minutes over the course of a full day. >“Between the seven reviewed studies, the total activity time throughout the observation was roughly 28 minutes with the standing and light walking breaks lasting between 2 to 5 minutes,” Buffey said. Leisure activity death wellness STOCK >Standing was better than heading straight for the desk or the couch to sit when it came to blood sugar levels, but it didn’t help lower insulin in the bloodstream, the analysis found. >However, if people went for a short walk after eating, their blood sugar levels rose and fell more gradually, and their insulin levels were more stable than either standing or sitting, the study noted.
A coworker was debating doing this and now I am curious.
comingle.us
This also seems like it might interest this community. Originally posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/7276272 > [Comingle](https://Comingle.us) is an interesting idea that would act as a pseudo emergency fund to provide a stable week to week income for their users. It could act to stabilize your income if you have an irregular income or as an backup plan or insurance for when you lose a job or income source. It works by distributing the average of all their members contributions weekly to each user. Once the service starts, the end result will be a net gain for those with low income and a payment to provide a guaranteed monthly income for higher earners. > > * For those with low income, any amount of extra money can aid in the pursuit of opportunity and keep things from turning desperate. > * For freelancers and gig-workers, reliable weekly income can ease the complications of sporadic cash-flow. > * For those with more income, Comingle lets you help others, sends you a little extra cash on slow weeks, and provides a safety-net if things take a turn for the worse. > > Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with them. I just got this in an email newsletter and was intrigued. >
**Summary** * A poll of 2,000 adults identified the top 20 things that bring feelings of happiness and positivity. * The survey was commissioned by the cheese company Babybel. * Good night's sleep and sunny blue sky ranked as the top two factors for feeling good. * 45% of respondents mentioned that receiving a nice compliment can significantly boost their mood. * Laughing until tears flowed was also noted as a high scorer in generating positive emotions. * On average, respondents experienced uplifting moments three times a day and felt good about their day four times out of seven in a typical week. * However, 83% actively avoid negative stories on social media and TV to prevent feeling emotionally drained. * 68% of those polled believe happiness is contagious, and over a third make an effort to spread positivity. * Only 24% allocate regular time for activities that personally bring them happiness. * Many of the top 20 happiness-inducing activities are low-cost or free, emphasizing the link between feeling good and doing good. **TOP 20 THINGS THAT MAKE US FEEL GOOD** 1. A good night’s sleep 2. A sunny blue sky 3. Summer 4. Receiving a compliment or praise 5. Booking a holiday 6. Crying with laughter 7. Getting a quiet moment to yourself 8. Eating your favorite snack 9. Pets being happy to see you 10. Looking back at old photographs 11. Finishing a great book 12. Helping an elderly person with something 13. Finishing a workout 14. Hearing children really belly-laughing 15. Finding a parking space when it’s busy 16. A newly-cleaned car 17. When your football or other sports team wins 18. A heart-to-heart with a loved one 19. Volunteering or helping others 20. Finding out your children have done well at school
Humans are creatures of habit. So often we do things a certain way without really thinking about why we do it or why we do it that way. It's just the way we've always done it. It's so nice when we have those aha moments when it dawns on us there may be a better way to do something that removes complexity from our life. Here are a few of mine: 1. It occurred to me that it takes the same amount of time to prepare for the day whether I do it the night before or the morning of, And for me warnings usually feel more crunched for time than evenings. So I started doing everything I could for the next morning the night before. Laying out my clothes, fixing my breakfast, laying out my morning hygiene items, packing my bag for work, etc. This ha really decompressed my mornings and given me less decisions to make first thing. 2. I realized that having notifications for email on my phone spurred me to react to them immediately, Even though the emails I receive rarely require immediate action. I disabled them all together and put a weekly calendar reminder to sit down at my computer and review my emails. 3. Picking what to cook for supper was always a chore every single day. Figuring out what we were in the mood for, do we have what we need to make that, etc. To eliminate this daily aggravation, I made a list of every supper I know how to cook and numbered them. Once a month I sit down with my list, roll a dice for everyday, and put down what's for supper each day So I don't have to think about it for the rest of the month. What are some of your aha moments?
web.archive.org
**Summary** * The author sought to combat feelings of overwhelm and anxiety by taking on a personal endurance challenge. * The challenge involved giving up listening to podcasts or music while doing various activities. * The author realized that avoiding being fully present in activities was an unconscious addiction to *not* doing one thing at a time. * The ability to focus on one activity at a time is considered crucial for thriving in an uncertain, crisis-prone future. * Multitasking has been proven ineffective and incurs cognitive costs due to rapidly switching attention. * External pressures and technological advances contribute to the urge to multitask. * Philosophers and spiritual teachers emphasize the value of being present in a single activity. * The allure of multitasking lies in the false promise of escaping human limitations and constraints. * Surrendering to limitations and focusing on tasks enhances enjoyment and effectiveness. * Prioritizing a few important tasks over trying to do everything is more productive. * Pouring time, energy, and attention into fewer things leads to greater enjoyment and accomplishment. **Implication from the article** * Learning to be present in the moment can reduce stress and enhance overall well-being.
emersoncentral.com
For me simple living is tied closely to my love of nature. I found that Emerson's Nature is available for free online. Been working my way through it slowly (some sections take a while to digest), but I've really been enjoying it and I hope you do too! They're are so many great quotes from this one after another. What is your favorite(s) and why?
Simple Living
!simpleliving@lemmy.mlLive better, with less
Ideas and inspiration for living more simply. A place to share tips on living with less stuff, work, speed, or stress in return for gaining more freedom, time, self-reliance, and joy.