Simplifications
Beginning in the third quarter of last year, I began thinking about significantly simplifying life in order to increase focus in areas I wanted to prioritize. I thought this would primarily amount to shedding routines that had accumulated over time but were not necessarily beneficial. That did happen, but I discovered there was more to it. Below, I walk through changes to my desk set-up, bullet journaling, shift towards analog, and morning routine, all simplifications of one sort or another.
Clean Desk, Clear Mind
I pride myself (there's a problem!) on having a clean, minimalist-style desk. Over time, however, it had become crowded with things. Some I needed, some I didn't, and I knew the clutter was affecting my focus and productivity. Initially, I reset my desktop and computer set-up but the effort soon expanded to a wider arena, rethinking and restructuring everything in my workspace. Anything that did not contribute to focus, mindfulness, and productivity went away or out of sight.
Bullet Journaling
I've been bullet journaling for years, first in Rhodia Webbie's and later in looseleaf A5 binders, and still later in digital format. Over time, my BuJo evolved from being very simple and straightforward to a highly structured system with graphs, daily formats, monthly notes, etc. It took time to do all the formatting and metrics tracking. Honestly, I got too caught up in the form instead of the function. In mid-2023 I decided to shift my BuJo to Field Notes, mainly so that it was with me at all times. That led to some simplification but more importantly it teased me into reconsidering it at a deeper level. I now carry a Field Notes notebook everywhere I go. It contains a very basic BuJo format (I do like keeping things tidy) and is home to all of my daily and miscellaneous notes, quotes, lists, and project sketches. It is my "write it down when I think of it" tool. Many of these notes eventually get transferred to a commonplace book or Obsidian note.
Less Digital, More Analog
The move to Field Notes for my BuJo heralded a larger shift to analog writing. This shift towards analog is about preferring a way of doing things that does not assault me with distractions. I can write longhand anywhere, for example, freeing me from the keyboard, screen, and desk and their associated diversions.
I started using Evernote in 2008 and shifted to Obsidian in February 2022. My experience was a mirror image of bullet journaling, starting simple but eventually becoming more structured and time consuming. I do still use Obsidian but in a reduced manner. I have a monthly note which captures the key points of the month, links to every structured note created during the month, key dates, and reading links. Obsidian is where I do almost all of my long form writing, including blog posts and articles.
Other note taking, primarily class notes and daily "meditations" (a term borrowed from Marcus Aurelius' discipline of writing to himself) are done in longhand in Rhodia Webbie's. I am re-learning the truth that longhand is often better, the advantages of digital speed, search, and organization aside, because it forces one to slow down and be more thoughtful. It is the writing version of "think before you speak." My meditations are reserved for topics I am thinking my way through. My workspace reset began, for example, as a daily meditation gripe to myself. Essentially, I think of them as my private and personal thinking and therapy space, in which there are few rules other than transparency and honesty. I am writing to myself and no one else, so I can be blunt, change my mind, gripe, express emotions, or contradict myself. It is a way to get what is inside out and create a less cluttered head space.
Commonplace Books
If you are not familiar with the term Commonplace Book, let me demystify it for you. It simply refers to having a common place in which to record all information for a particular topic. In other words, a topical journal. I have adopted commonplace books for writing and other interests. Indexing these is an important step in aiding search efforts, but I find having everything in one topical location a perfect fit.
To summarize my writing domain, it looks like this:
But the simplifications are not all about writing things down. There is another which has turned into a huge advantage: how I spend my morning hours.
New Mornings
At some point about three months ago, early in my simplification quest, I became agitated with myself over how I was spending my mornings. I've always believed the early hours of the day to be the most important. Was I using them wisely? No, I was not. I had fallen into the trap of choosing to check off the boxes on my daily to-do list early instead of dedicating this time to what matters most. An excerpt from one of my morning meditations:
"The things I am doing are not bad things, but they are not the best and most important. That changes now. Today. I've made progress on simplifications, cutting out chaff from my daily routine. Now it is time to put the gains to good use. What will my new morning routine look like?
Spending time in God's Word, prayer, and meditation
Journaling and other writing
Exercise and fresh air activities
"Add in a cuppa Joe and that will fill at least three hours, maybe more. Need to reset my wake-up time."
In addition to these changes, there is one more very important change to my mornings. I am a morning guy. Always have been, always will be. My dear bride, however, not so much. That means I have several hours of my own time each day. I decided to do something really different with these hours in addition to the above, and it has been an absolute win. What did I do? I implemented Silent Mornings. Complete silence. No podcasts, no music, no audible books, no phone calls, no YouTube. No sound ... period. This space has become the launchpad for my day. My time with God, meditating, writing, and just thinking is now unhurried and without distraction. The serenity I find in these hours is paying dividends in creativity, depth, and contentment.
It turns out that Simon and Garfunkel were right, silence does have a sound: Peace.
Benefits Abound
None of these changes are profound in their own right (well, maybe resetting the alarm clock qualifies) but in total I have experienced a de-escalation of time pressure, anxiety, and busyness. On the other side, focus, productivity, peace, and mindfulness are up.
Most of us strive to do more and do better in our race to keep up with the world. Sometimes, however, doing less or doing simpler is a key to success and contentment. I’ve been on this path for a few months now and can safely say that it is working for me.
I know, I'm retired, of course I can do this. True, but I caution you not to underestimate how busy retired life can be. And I'll bet you can think of changes you would like to make to improve the quality of your own life. My advice: be thoughtful about them, experiment, and when convinced, go for it!