Life with Helen Johnson

Does life drag you down? I was starting to get in a cycle of feeling dragged down and that my life was controlling me, rather than me controlling my life. Over the last few months I have implemented 5 things that have transformed my life and allow my to live simpler and happier.

#1 – Remove social media from my mobile phone

I didn’t realise how many hours a week I spent doom scrolling, and I wasn’t digesting anything healthy or beneficial. I decided to remove social media from my phone and the first few days I noticed something quite comical. I would open my phone and click on the place the Facebook icon used to be. It would be quite alarming when I’d accidentally open my emails without meaning too! After a few days this slightly embarrassing habit stopped. Since then I’ve felt so much more free and I spent way less time on my phone. I do still access social media on my laptop as I do require it for our walking business, but I rarely post any personal pictures anymore. I’d highly encourage you to remove social media from your phone for 1 week and see if you notice the difference.

#2 – No TV on weekdays

Andy and I went away on holiday recently and we barely watched any TV. We found ourselves going to bed at 10pm, going on evening walks and spending quality time with each other. I realised that I had gotten in this really bad cycle of watching 3 hours of TV most evenings – Downton Abbey will do that to you! I realised that if I want a walking business that is successful, a YouTube channel where I post regularly, a marriage that has regular quality time – then I need to stop consuming so much TV. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy watching TV and I do have my shows I watch, so I haven’t said no TV all week. Weekends are my opportunity to catch up on the shows I enjoy, but weekdays are for other activities. If you have found yourself spending every evening sat watching TV then I’d encourage you to have no TV days and see what difference it makes.

#3 – Prioritise what truly matters

We get distracted by so many unimportant things – TV shows and social media are two examples as mentioned above. I realised last month that I was giving time to watching TV but I hadn’t gone to the gym in two weeks, and trust me I could tell. For my physical and mental well being good sleep and exercise are essentials in my life. They come before social gatherings, hobbies, our walking business etc. because without good rest and a healthy body I’m not going to be my best self for my family/friends and I certainly won’t be active enough to run a walking business. What truly matters to you? Make sure it is scheduled into every single week and a necessity, not a maybe if I have time.

#4 – Live within your means

This might sound like a strange way to simplify your life, but trust me it’s so important. One of the biggest stresses in our life is financial pressures. It’s impossible to live a simply hopefully stress free life if money is constantly tight, if you’re living pay check to pay check. Creating a life where you live within your means and you’re not overspending or getting into debt is crucial. I wake up every morning and I don’t have to worry about money. This isn’t because we have endless income flowing into our bank account, it’s because we are sensible and stick to our budget. Living simply means living a life that isn’t about the big and fancy, but about the small and simple moments in your day. Let’s remove one of the biggest triggers of stress (financial pressure/worry) and see what difference it makes to our lives!

#5 – Don’t overwhelm your social calendar

You don’t need to see friends or family every single day. It’s okay to see people when you feel like you have the capacity to be your best self. Some weeks I’m very busy with work and if I tried to squeeze in seeing my family/friends it would tip me over the edge. Now don’t get me wrong community is crucial and we shouldn’t go weeks without seeing people. But instead what I’m saying is take it easy and allow yourself moments of grace when life is busy. I remember a sudden shift in my life when I went from seeing my family once a week to once every 2-3 weeks and it felt quite strange at first. Now I look back I know why it happened – we were building a walking business, moving homes, learning driving theory, having busy weeks at work etc…essentially adulting! We’re not 18 anymore – we can’t see our friends every night and if you can then please tell me your secret?! Having clear boundaries and managing your physical capability is one of the most beneficial ways of simplifying your life. However I would say it is one of the hardest as we feel guilty saying no to people. Don’t be afraid to say no!