2698: Create Time to Change Your Life by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits on Simplifying Daily Routines...

this episode is brought to you by Shopify upgrade your business with Shopify home of the number one checkout on the planet shopay boost conversions up to 50% meaning fewer carts going abandoned and more sales going cha-ching so if you're into growing your business get a Commerce platform that's ready to sell wherever your customers are visit shopify.com to upgrade your selling today feel your max with Brooks running and the all new ghost Max 2 they're the shoes you deserve Des designed to streamline your stride and help protect your body treat yourself to Feelgood Landings on an ultra high stack of super comfy nitrogen infused cushion that takes the edge off every step every day the Brooks ghost Max too you know technically they're a form of self-care Brooks let's run there head to brooksrunning.com to learn more this is Optimal Health daily create time to change your life by Leo babata of zenhabits.net and I'm your host and narrator Dr Neil hey there happy middle of the week Wednesday and welcome back to Optimal Health daily where I read some of the best health and fitness blogs to you and always with a bit of my commentary get the end and every Wednesday I like to share a little bit of inspiration with you so with that here we go quote view Health as an investment not an expense Anonymous all right and with that let's get right to today's article and start optimizing your life create time to change your life by Leo Baba of zenhabits.net when I decided to change my life a little over 5 years ago I had a very common problem I didn't have the time I wanted to exercise and find time for my family and eat healthier instead of the fast food junk I'd been eating and read more and write and be more productive and increase my income unfortunately there are only 24 hours in a day and we sleep for about eight of them subtract the hours we spend eating about 3 showering and dressing and fixing up about 1 cleaning and running errands another one driving maybe 2 hours working 8 hours or more and you're left with an hour or two at most and often less than that eventually I figured out how to do all the things I wanted to do I've achieved all of that and more and in fact I have more leisure time now than ever but first I had to figure out the fundamental problem how could I find the time to change my life I know many of you face the same problem you've told me as much so I thought I'd share some of what I did in the beginning in hopes that it'll help the first step you must make a commitment you have to decide that you really want to make a change and that it's more important than almost anything else for me only my family was more important and in fact I was making these changes for my family as well as for myself so these changes I was making were really my top priority in life it has to be that urgent for you think of this not as improving your life but saving it the changes I made saved my life I am so much healthier my marriage is better my relationships with my kids have improved and I'm happier instead of depressed rest if you don't feel you're saving your life then you won't make the tough changes needed next steps once I made the mental commitment I took small steps to give myself a little wiggle room to breathe and move one cut out TV I watched less TV than ever before eventually I watched none though I now watch a few shows a week over the Internet for many people this one change will free up a couple hours or more two read less junk I used to read a lot of things on the internet that were just entertainment same with magazines I cut that stuff out early so I could focus on what was more important three go out less I used to go to a lot of movies and to dinner and drinking I cut that mostly out for a while to make time and four wake earlier not everyone is going to do this but it was a good step for me I found that I had more time exercising and working in the morning before anyone woke up the world was quiet and at peace and without interruptions in general find the things that eat up your time that are less important than the changes you want to make that's almost everything except the things you need to live work and eating and stuff like that cut back on them where you can simplify commitments I had a lot of commitments in my life I coached soccer was on the PTA board served on a lot of committees at work had social commitments as well and worked on a number of projects slowly I cut them out they seemed important but in truth none of them were as important as the life I wanted to create and the changes I wanted to make lots of things are important but which are the absolute most important make a decision if you're having trouble making a decision try and experiment cut out a commitment just for a little while see whether you suffer from cutting it out or whether you like the extra time if you're worried about offending people don't send an email or make a phone call and explain that you love to keep doing the commitment but you just don't have the time and don't want to half it the person might try to talk you into staying but be firm respect yourself and your time and the changes you're trying to make here's a secret the people and organizations you've been helping or working with Will Survive they will go on doing what they were doing without you and OMG they will survive without you your departure will not cause the world to collapse let go of the guilt streamline your life eventually I made many other changes including one making bills and savings and debt payments automatic I set everything up online so that I wouldn't have to run errands or spend time making payments this put my debt reduction on automatic and I got out of debt two streamlining errands I tried to cut as many errands out of my life as possible often that meant changing my life in some way but I adjusted and things became simpler I cleaned as I went so I didn't have a lot of cleaning to do on weekends I did the few errands I had all at once to save running around three work less I would set limits to how much I could work forcing myself to pick the important tasks and to get those tasks done on time I learned which tasks needed to be done and which could be dropped I became much more effective and worked less and four say no when people asked me to do stuff that was important to them but not to me I learned to politely decline instead I focused on what was important to me slowly I learned to simplify I simplified my daily routines my work my social life my possessions my chores and my wardrobe it took time but it has been more than worth the effort life is so much better now that I've created the time to do what I want to do you just listen to The Post titled create time to change your life by Leo babata of zenhabits.net and I'll be right back with my commentary this episode is brought to you by Shopify upgrade your business with Shopify home of the number one checkout on the planet shop pay boosts conversions up to 50% meaning fewer carts going abandoned and more sales going cha-ching so if you're into growing your business get a Commerce platform that's ready to sell wherever your customers are visit shopify.com to upgrade your selling today how do you feel great on vacation like really good easy you go to Aruba you'll spend your time relaxing on cool white sand beaches and floating in healing Blue Water you'll immerse yourself in natural wonder and find your Center on an island where things move at your speed you won't just feel great you'll feel relaxed renewed and ready for life that's the Aruba effect plan your trip at aruba.com Dr Neil here for my commentary I loved it when today's author Leo said quote you must make a commitment you have to decide that you really want to make a change and that change is more important than almost anything else end quote I mean I could have used that as today's inspiration ational quote it's that good but he didn't stop there I love this line even more think of these habits as not quote improving your life but saving it end quote I've talked about how eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly are ways to care for your body but thinking about this as saving your life is even more powerful in fact I love this phrase so much I may have to save this quote and use it for a future Wednesday episode but for now that'll do it for today thank you so much for being here and listening every day thank you if you've ever shared this show with someone and I hope you have a great rest of your day and I'll see you back here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits