Life is already complicated. Why do we add extra complexity to the mix? Let’s talk about how you can change your mindset to simplify your life. Uncomplicate it!
One day, a question popped into my head while I was brushing my teeth: “Where am I making things harder than they need to be? Why?”
I’m well-versed in making things complicated for absolutely no reason, and I had some breakthroughs in the process of recording this episode of Be School and drafting the show notes.
Listen to the episode. Check out the notes, or do a combination of both.
I mentioned Ampjar’s karmic marketing platform in the beginning of this episode. You can learn more here: https://taylorelyse.com/ampjar
Life is complicated
We all know that life is complicated. Look at the events of the past several months. A pandemic, a heated election, social uprisings, and that list doesn’t include any of the events in our personal lives.
It seems wild that we’d add unnecessary complexity into the mix, but I find myself doing it every day. There are two mindsets that compound complications. When I find myself in either headspace, I know that there’s probably a simpler alternative.
“It has to be done my way”
Have those words ever crossed your mind? I find myself thinking this often, and the mindset rarely serves me. When I am stuck in my ways, things get complicated because:
- I don’t ask for help
- I don’t bring other people into the process
My ego feels like it knows what is best, but my inner circle can often see where there’s room to simplify.
I was recently feeling torn between two choices, stay in my creative happy place in the city, or be less productive in the suburbs with the people I love. I’d set it up as a dichotomy. I shared my concerns with my mom, who offered up my parents’ home office in the suburbs as a happy medium. I could have a place to work, and I could be near family.
Release the “my way or the highway” mindset by asking for support on a specific task or for support in the decision-making process.
“It has to be 100% right the first time”
This mindset often shows up in our work lives. You’re tweaking and researching and “doing the work.” It can feel like dedication to excellence, but, in reality, it’s just perfectionism.
Don’t waste too much time and energy up front. You’re probably planning for scenarios you’ll never face and missing insights that you can’t get without sharing your project with the world. You might even fall prey to the sunk cost fallacy, continuing in the same direction even when there’s evidence that you should make a change.
Instead, concentrate on building minimum viable products. Find the smallest, simplest way to move forward. This gives you room to test and learn without wasting your energy on the unnecessary.
Make two lists
When things feel complicated, I make two lists:
- The steps involved
- The tools and resources required
Push back on these lists. It’s all too easy for nice-to-haves to make their way onto this list. Be honest with yourself about what you truly need to make progress.
We have a new offering launching for Inner Workout, and I was totally overcomplicating it. I was feeling stressed about everything that “had to be done.” A few minutes of writing showed me that I had a few key deliverables to create and a couple of questions to research. I was overcomplicating things yet again.
When you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by a complex situation:
- Check your mindset. Are you feeding your ego or falling into perfectionism?
- Be honest about what you actually need to do.
Life will always be complicated, but you can make it a little bit simpler.
