This is Optimal Living Daily Episode 1803, Carry Less or Pockets Like Air, and Paring Down, both by Leo Babouta of M&MList.com, and your very own personal narrator, Justin Molick, reading to you from some amazing blogs and books to help you optimize your life, covering self-help, personal development, happiness, productivity, and more. And I have two posts for you today, so let's get right to them as we optimize your life. Carry Less or Pockets Like Air by Leo Babouta of M&MList.com. How much do you carry around with you every day?
Something we don't often think about, but each item we carry around is a little burden and these little burdens add up. They contribute to our general fatigue, they're one more thing to worry about, and they can cause actual back problems if we carry too much. This is something I've greatly improved in my life, starting a couple of years ago when I decided to try to be as minimalist as possible. As Robert Daly said in an old post to send Pockets, quote, In the spirit of GTT getting things done, in which you try to empty your head of all the cruft and worries you can concentrate creatively on the task at hand, let us look to our burdens to see if we can't undo a little of our dailies to see and wear.
Mine like water? Meet Pockets Like Air, end quote. Let's see how we can get to Pockets Like Air. What people normally carry?
What's in your pockets, bag, purse, briefcase? What do you load up with before you leave your home? Some examples of things people carry include wallet, containing money, lots of cards, coffee stamp card, etc. purse containing grooming items, makeup, tissues, address book, etc.
laptop with cords and accessories, briefcase with files and papers, cell phone, PDA, iPhone or other mobile device, backpack, books, keys, notebook, pens, paper organizer or hipster PDA, watch, toiletries, coffee mug, lunch, a kit of stuff like snacks, tissues, band-aids, etc. A bad belt? Okay, the last one might only apply to Batman, but the others are fairly common, give or take a few items. I too carried most of these items at one time.
My minimalist pockets. These days have gone it down to something fairly simple. Phone, keys, although when I'm not actually driving, I only bring the remote control unlocker for the car, not the keys, and slim wallet, actually just a money band with ID, debit card and cash. And that's about it.
Sometimes I'll bring a book, other times a notebook, other times a laptop and a backpack if I'm going to do some writing. It depends on what my plans are. You'll notice I don't carry lots of electronics around, I'll only bring the laptop once or twice a week. I don't have a watch, I don't have much in my quote unquote wallet, I don't have any grooming products, of course my shaved head helps with that.
How I got to minimalist. I didn't get to this point overnight. I got this way by reducing my needs and examining each item to see whether I really needed to carry it. Number one, reducing needs.
As I mentioned, when I decided to shave my head, it meant I didn't need any grooming products. Not saying you need to shave your head, but consider finding ways to reduce your need for these products by simplifying. I also decided I don't need a watch because, number one, I prefer not to worry about time so much. And number two, if I do need to know the time, I can check my cell phone.
I decided I don't need a mobile device such as an iPhone or Blackberry because while it would be nice to check email or look something up online or check on my website or business while I'm out on the road, I'd rather not have that constant distraction. I like being in the moment, especially when I'm with my wife or kids, more friends. I like not being interrupted. Think about your needs and whether they're really needs, more if they can be eliminated, more reduced.
Number two, put each item to the test. Consider each item you take with you and whether you really use them every day. If not, only take them on days when you will need them. If you carry a briefcase full of files you never open, why carry them back and forth?
In fact, when I keep your files on your computer and just access them online from anywhere. If you have a purse or messenger bag, make each item in the purse or bag pass this critical test. Do you really use it all the time? Do you really need it?
If not, consider leaving them at home or if you can't decide, put them in your glove compartment so you don't have to carry them around. I did this for a while just to feel safe and I ended up not ever needing the items. Be light. It's nice to walk around without things weighing you down.
You feel light and free. It's less of a burden. There's nothing peaceful about walking around without these distractions. You can focus on the wonderful world around you.
You can talk to a friend or family member without interruptions. You can create without distractions. Walk lightly and be light in your heart. Pairing down by Leo Bada of M&MList.com One of the things I love about minimalism is that it doesn't end.
You don't get to a minimum of things and say, I'm done. It's a constant pairing down. And that's a good thing. Why would you want to keep doing it instead of just completing the process?
Because the process of pairing down is really the process of asking yourself, what's important? We tend to forget what's important in the den and tumult of daily life. We need a mindfulness bell to bring us back to the essentials. And pairing down is that bell for me.
There are numerous examples of pairing down. I whittle down my closing collection, for example, on a regular basis. I look at a room and remove unnecessary objects. I'll clear out programs on my computer I don't use.
On Zen habits, I pair down the design regularly. A couple years ago, the site was considered an example of clean design, but since then I've removed most elements. Recently, I removed numerous links in the sidebar and footer, and then removed photos. It was like breathing out a sigh of relief to be able to let go of photos.
No one seemed to mind. I didn't get any comments. I love it when pairing down is met with the approval of silence. As on M&MList, I'm removing almost everything but the article.
We're just the only thing that's important. Pairing down has been a beautiful way to hone in on the essentials, to be mindful each day of those essentials. I think that's the necessary thing these days. You just listen to the posts titled, Carry Less or Pockets Like Air, and Pairing Down, both by Leo Bada of M&MList.com.
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It really is the article. Professioning to see that. I'll keep this ending nicely short for you today, have a great rest of your day, and I'll see you on the Wednesday show tomorrow, where you're optimal life. Oh, wait.