4178: 10 Simple Ways to Live a Less Stressful Life by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits on Simple Living

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[00:00:44] [SPEAKER_00] This is Optimal Living Daily, 10 Simple Ways to Live a Less Stressful Life by Leo Babauta of ZenHabits.net. And I'm Justin Malik, and I'm going to jump right into our next article as we optimize your life. 10 Simple Ways to Live a Less Stressful Life by Leo Babauta of ZenHabits.net Quote,

[00:01:11] [SPEAKER_00] If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress, and tension. And if you didn't ask me, I'd still have to say it. George F. Burns Stress is a major problem for many people. A hectic, stressful job, a chaotic home life, bills to worry about, and bad habits such as unhealthy eating, drinking, and smoking can lead to a mountain of stress.

[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_00] If your life is full of stress like mine once was, there are some simple things you can do to get your life to a more manageable level. Now, your life will probably never be stress-free. I don't think that's even desirable, even if it is possible. Because stress is something that challenges us and helps us grow at a reasonable level. But when stress gets too high, it causes us to be unhappy and unhealthy.

[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_00] It wasn't that long ago when I was working long hours in a very stressful job with little time for my family, smoking and eating fatty foods, and not exercising. I had a lot of debt and too many bills. I was unhappy and stressed out all the time. I was losing hair. Okay, actually that was because of genetics, but still, I was pretty stressed. So I made some drastic changes. I quit my job. I simplified my life. I quit smoking and started exercising and eating healthier.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_00] I began to eliminate my debt and learned some habits that, when applied on a daily basis, can really transform the way you live in a positive way. How did I do all of this? One thing at a time. I didn't do a major rehaul of my life. I changed one habit a month and gradually over the course of a year or two, changed a lot of things in my life. I won't guarantee that all of these will work for you. They worked for me, but each person is different.

[00:02:57] [SPEAKER_00] Pick and choose the ones that will work best for you and give them a try, one at a time. Number one, one thing at a time. This is the simplest and best way to start reducing your stress, and you can start today, right now. Focus as much as possible on doing one thing at a time. Clear your desk of distractions. Pick something to work on. Need to write a report? Do only that.

[00:03:23] [SPEAKER_00] Remove distractions, such as phones and email notifications, while you're working on that report. If you're going to do email, do only that. This takes practice, and you'll get urges to do other things. Just keep practicing, and you'll get better at it. Number two, simplify your schedule. A hectic schedule is a major cause of high stress. Simplify by reducing the number of commitments in your life to just the essential ones.

[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_00] Learn to say no to the rest, and slowly get out of commitments that aren't beneficial to you. Schedule only a few important things each day, and put space between them. Get out of meetings when they aren't absolutely essential. Leave room for downtime and fun. Number three, get moving. Do something each day to be active. Walk, hike, play a sport, go for a run, do yoga. Doesn't have to be grueling to reduce stress. Just move. Have fun doing it.

[00:04:18] [SPEAKER_00] Number four, develop one healthy habit this month. Other than getting active, improving your health overall will help with the stress. But do it one habit at a time. Eat fruits and veggies for snacks. Floss every day. Quit smoking. Cook something healthy for dinner. Drink water instead of soda. One habit at a time. Number five, do something calming. What do you enjoy that calms you down?

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_00] For many people, it can be the get moving activity discussed earlier. But it could also be taking a nap, or a bath, or reading, or having sex. Which can also be considered a get moving activity if you do it for longer than five minutes. Other people are calmed by housework or yard work. Some people like to meditate or take a nature walk. Find your calming activity and try to do it each day. Number six, simplify your finances. Finances can be a drain on your energy and a major stressor.

[00:05:15] [SPEAKER_00] If that's true with you, figure out ways to simplify things. Automate savings and bill payments and debt payments. Spend less by going shopping at malls or online, much less. Find ways to have fun that don't involve spending money. Number seven, have a blast. Have fun each day, even if it's just for a few minutes. I like to play with my kids. They take my mind off everything and are really hilarious. I also like to play sports, again, often with my kids.

[00:05:44] [SPEAKER_00] Board games are fun. Again, can be a fun activity. Whatever you choose, be sure to laugh. Number eight, get creative. Throwing yourself into a creative activity is another great way to de-stress and prevent stress. I like writing, but others like to paint or play music or sketch or make pottery or do interior design or build things. Number nine, declutter. This is a favorite of mine.

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_00] I like to take 20 to 30 minutes and just go through a room getting rid of stuff we don't use or need anymore. I look around at anything that's cluttering up a room and get rid of it or find a better place for it. When I'm done, I have a nice peaceful environment for work, play, and living. Do this a little at a time. It can be one of your fun activities. Number 10, be early. I will admit that it's hard to be early when you have to get six kids ready. Seriously, try it. But being late can be very stressful.

[00:06:41] [SPEAKER_00] Try to leave earlier by getting ready earlier or by scheduling more space between events. Things always take longer than normal, so schedule some buffer time. Extra time to get ready, to commute, to do errands before you need to be somewhere, to attend a meeting before another scheduled appointment. If you get somewhere early, it's good to have some reading material. Quote, Loafing needs no explanation and is its own excuse. Christopher Morley

[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_00] You just listened to the post titled, 10 Simple Ways to Live a Less Stressful Life by Leo Babauta of zenhabits.net And I'll be right back with my commentary.

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[00:08:09] [SPEAKER_00] Thank you to Leo. Leo, I'm glad he mentioned that your life will never be stress-free and that that's not even desirable. Because that's important to remember. Our goal isn't to eliminate everything stressful. If we did that, we would just waste away. Stress makes our muscles grow. It makes us smarter. But like he said, if it gets too high or chronic, then yes, it causes us to be unhappy and unhealthy,

[00:08:38] [SPEAKER_00] possibly leading to chronic symptoms and even diseases. And if I had to move one of these to the top, it would probably be number three to get moving. It also goes along with number four, or develop one healthy habit this month, which could be exercise or replacing water with soda or eating more fruits and veggies. Personally, I think these will have a bigger impact than something like decluttering for the average person.

[00:09:06] [SPEAKER_00] But it also depends where you are right now in life. Maybe you're already doing those things, but struggling financially. In that case, maybe simplifying your finances is a good first step. And I'd definitely recommend checking out the other show I host, Optimal Finance Daily. But most importantly, try not to stress about being stressed. We're all stressed about something at some point. Like he said, choose one and take a baby step in that direction.

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_00] It adds up. And with that, thank you for being here and taking those baby steps along with me. Have a great rest of your day and I'll see you tomorrow as usual, where your optimal life awaits.