When you open your closet door, how many pairs of shoes do you see? How many of them do you wear? This is one small example of the ridiculousness that plagues many of us. It’s not just clothes we don’t wear, it’s kitchen appliances we don’t use, expired prescriptions, unfinished projects, clutter and “stuff” stacked on shelves and in corners. These things rob us of space and time and wear at the edges of our sanity. It’s time to simplify things.
Use the 80/20 Rule
The 80/20 rule can be applied to many areas of our life. We use about 20% of our possessions. We derive the most pleasure from 20% of our activities. We make the most money from 20% of our efforts. By identifying our best actions and possessions, we can focus our time, space, and budget more efficiently. I recently counted the shoes in my closet, and was embarrassed. I have 30 pairs of boots, shoes, and sandals, of which, I wear about 4 consistently. That is some serious ridiculousness (at least in my world.)
As I started looking around and evaluating my life, I realized that the ridiculousness extended in every direction, including how I spent my time. ( I have watched many, many episodes of SpongeBob.) By wasting time and procrastinating, I have failed to complete important tasks or have had to do them during time that should have been spent with my family. Every moment of a day does not need to be scheduled with productive, meaningful activities, but there are certain things I want to accomplish each day. Eliminating ridiculousness will help.
5 Ways to Reduce, Eliminate, or Avoid Ridiculousness
- Sort possessions into those that bring you happiness and those that do not. Get rid of the ones that do not. Don’t consider investment, purpose, or obligation; there is always some excuse. De-cluttering your life frees up space as well as time.
- Identify one essential task each day to accomplish. Do it first. Even if you achieve nothing else, the most important job will have been completed. The rest is gravy.
- Make the determination to become a producer rather than a consumer. If you identify as being someone who creates and provides value for others, you will naturally use more of your time effectively.
- Strive daily to improve on one aspect of your life. Physical fitness, personality, education, finances, etc. Success in one area often carries over to another and builds continued enthusiasm.
- Surround yourself with positive people. We are the average of the people we spend the most time with and of the activities we participate in. Choose wisely, misery is contagious and life is too short to do something you despise.
That being said, if having 30 pairs of shoes, or 100 pairs of shoes, brings you joy…get the flippin’ shoes. Ultimately, you must determine the course and tone of your existence. No one else is responsible for your happiness, success, or lack thereof. It’s your ridiculousness.