How to Realize that Less is More

If your schedule is so tight you need to pencil in time to breathe, it's time to go back to the basics. We fill our days with work, clubs, exercise, shopping, after school activities and social events--all in the name of living fuller, richer lives. But sometimes the key to happiness is realizing that less is more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Work as little as you have to to maintain your current job status. That doesn't mean slacking off. It just means you should stop climbing the corporate ladder. Work hard while you're in the office, then leave and go enjoy your life rather than earning brownie points with extra projects.
2. Replace current, high-tech hobbies with simpler ones. Get your kids off the computer and play pretend games, sports or board games instead. Replace your intense spin class with an old-fashioned bike ride through the most beautiful park near your home. Go alone so you can enjoy this quiet retreat.
3. Buy healthy food and cook it without undermining its natural flavors. Rather than drowning broccoli in butter or burning meat to a crisp, cook simply so that broccoli still tastes like broccoli and meat still tastes like meat. Enjoy these meals prepared from scratch rather than spending lots of time and money at expensive restaurants.
4. Keep social activities simple. The new trend is group activities that require lots of work and planning, such as a couples' weekend at a ski lodge or a bounce house at every Sunday barbecue. Spend time instead simply talking and enjoying each other's company, rather than hiding behind distracting activities.
5. Forget fancy spas as institutionalized relaxation. Run the bath and light some candles every night so that you don't need to spend hundreds on massages and facials to de-stress once a month.