10 Simple Tips for a Low Stress Life

What ways are there to slow down the rat race, enjoy the simple things and really eliminate unnecessary stress from your life? Here are 10 simple tips for a low stress life.

I think, more than ever before, people are yearning for a more simple, meaningful life. There is a movement outward, toward the simple life, and that’s where you can find me.

1. Focus on and appreciate the basic Blessings in life:

Listening to the bird song, and your children’s laughter. Notice the soft breeze. Eat a meal with intentionality with loved ones. Smile at some strangers. Sit in the grass and pick a bouquet of wildflowers. Sit quietly with the Lord, ask Him for wisdom and read His word.

“The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.”
― Laura Ingalls Wilder

It sounds mundane, but these are things sometimes we overlook and have to purposely pay attention.

This may sound trite and cliche. But if we don’t have appreciation for the simple blessings in our everyday life, we are going to have a hard time appreciating anything else that falls into place.

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2. Be in God’s Word

This world, and this life can be very hard. There are events and situations occurring to us and all around us that may make us feel lost, fearful and deeply stressed. This is normal to the human experience, but dwelling in that fear is not what God has told us to do. He has explicitly told us over and over in the scriptures to not fear. He has told us what to do with those worries and fears.

1 Peter 5:7 …Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you…

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.

If you are a believer who has walked with Jesus a while, you know that his sovereignty over our lives is palpable, and that the care he provides us, even through hard times, are so careful and kind, that to stand at his countenance and say “I choose the fear over your promises”, must be a slap in his face.

Scripture promises a renewing of the mind when we wash our world-weary spirits in God’s word and walk with him. The sanctification (to set apart for special use or purpose; an ongoing process of God’s continuing action in the life of a believer) that happens during a individual’s walk with the Lord is not a once and done deal. It is a journey that he takes us on, if we choose him.

“If you want to hear God speak, read your Bible. If you want to hear God speak audibly, read your Bible out loud.”

-Justin Peters

God’s word is his love letter to you. To me. Let’s commit to setting aside the things of this world and picking up the love letter from the creator of this astonishing universe. The ultimate stress reliever.

3. Decluttering your house = decluttering your mind:

A quote from William Morris that is helpful when sorting through things …

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

I have gotten rid of so. many. things. in the past year. I have found that the sparser my home is, the easier life is.

Every 2-3 years, I have to do a major clean out around the house. It is amazing how quickly things get cluttered up. Frankly, I am due for one right now!

Cleaning, cooking, functioning in general is SO MUCH simpler when you don’t have a bunch of junk cluttering your way.

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4. Make a Bunch of Lists:

As soon as something flits through my mind, I better write it down or suffer the consequences! It is very helpful to have an ongoing list for the day/week of things that need to get done, be bought and remember, and check off as I accomplish things over time.

I have discovered a really cool, free service/app called Trello. I will have to write a whole post about this at another time, but basically, it is a list lovers dream come true. You can make all these “boards” by topic, then you can pin “cards” on the boards with individual tasks, or items. Then each card can be opened and added to. You can add checklists, a description, etc. It took me a few days to gain the mental energy to try to figure out how to use it, and when I did, I wished I had sooner. It is easy to use and helps me to feel organized and calm with all the thoughts going through my brain.

5. Brain Dump Before Bed

It seems like all my good ideas and sudden impulses to get things done come late at night while I should be sleeping. Keep a pad of paper and a pen by the bed and dump it all out before you go to sleep. Then you can sleep peacefully, knowing you won’t forget anything important. Sometimes I even wake up with ideas at night, and it helps to write it down so I can pick back up where I left off in the morning.

6. Don’t over schedule yourself or your children:

I don’t believe that children need to participate in every lesson, party, function and class that makes itself available.

Make some time to just be. Just be at home, together. Being bored is not a bad thing. Children develop great skills out of times of boredom. I think most parents have heard this by now, between current research indications and good old common sense.

I would argue the point that it not only applies to children, but to adults as well. Everyone needs quiet, slow, time to breathe. Time at home, time when there isn’t an agenda, or an expectation of any sort.

Just. Be. It goes against the grain of our modern society, but there was a time, not so long ago, that children running barefoot and parents sitting on the porch with a glass of lemonade was a desirable and worthwhile pass time.

7. Reduce your stress. If it chronically causes you stress, Strongly consider eliminating it:

This also goes for relationships, y’all.

I have been asked in the past, how I keep my life so low stress, and here is the answer: I don’t do stress. It makes me ill. Physically and mentally.

I keep my stress very low by simply eliminating anything I possibly can that causes it. That includes unhealthy or toxic relationships of any sort. If a relationship or individual costs you your peace, the cost is too high.

I said it was simple, not easy.

There is a time to be a nice person, and there is a time to say enough is enough.

– Unknown

Note this:

In life there are stresses that cannot or should not be avoided, but if unnecessary ones have been eliminated, you have more strength to deal with the important things.

8. Consider a capsule wardrobe:

Choose your wardrobe pieces carefully.

Watch my Stay at Home Mama Capsule Wardrobe Video:

Begin to weed out things that you aren’t excited to wear or you feel dread when you see them.

Only buy a new item if you LOVE it. And if you truly love it, buy at least one more.

Continue to thin out as your taste or your size changes. You don’t have to commit to a lifelong relationship with a piece of clothing. You can wear something for one season and then move on with life… It’s ok.

9. Get control of your finances:

I wrote this one next to last, but it not the least important.

Get out of debt. I can not say this one enough. I guarantee that if you are in debt, you are stressed about it. Get out, get out, get out! And DON”T GET BACK IN.

Pay upfront for everything. Just because you can afford the payments, doesn’t mean you can afford the item. Pay cash for everything.

Create a written budget. Work with your spouse on this, if you have one. It takes two to tango.

Your outgo should be less than your income! Simple concept, not often followed! Doing the reverse of this will guarantee you a bunch of heartaches.

If you feel out of control with your finances and don’t know where to start, start here. We did the plan, we got out of debt and changed our lives. It works, if you do it!

10. Go outside and take a deep breath:

Here again, there are many studies that prove being outside in nature is a great stress reliever and very healthy for mind and body, yet we don’t need studies to know that, do we?

Book Suggestion: Vitamin N by Richard Louv The Essential Guide to a Nature Rich Life

Vitamin N is also available on my favorite ebook/audio book service Scribd. Use my link to get a free 60 day trail to check it out!

Garden, walk, lay in the sun, sit under a tree, wade in a creek, sit on your porch and smile and wave to passersby… Just go outside and breathe. This is a great time to pray. His hand is clearly in all the details.

He is the image of God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:15-17