'Tis a gift to be simple: 8 suggestions for simplifying your life

Vibrant Life, July-August, 2002 by Victor M. Parachin

For the past three years I have worked 70 to 90 hours and seven days a week," says Kenneth, a West Coast financial executive. "Although I complained about it, I secretly enjoyed it. Working long, hard hours was contributing to the rapid growth of our company. It also showed I was an important person. People were impressed that I worked so hard--often until midnight."

Whenever Kenneth had some free time he would never admit it. "I would just tell people, `I have a lot of control over my schedule right now.' If you tell them you're not busy, it erodes their confidence in you" was his rationale. Materially, the hard work paid off. Kenneth and his family live in the most affluent section of their city. Their home has a three-car garage, a sports court in the back, and a swimming pool, and they own three luxury vehicles.

In spite of material success, Kenneth became uneasy and unhappy with his life. "Over the past year or so I noticed that, except for work, I had little else in my life: few friends, no contact with the city in which I lived, and no community involvement. Worse, I would become furious if I was kept waiting by store clerks, delivery people, or work colleagues." After a period of evaluation Kenneth made a profound and drastic decision. He quit his job and sold off the cars, replacing all three with one used but reliable utility vehicle. Kenneth and his family relocated to the small town where he grew up. There he found a less stressful position that gives him plenty of time for himself and his family.

An increasing number of people are like Kenneth. A major survey recently released by the nonprofit Merck Family Fund found that a majority of Americans, alarmed by materialism and greed, rank among their deepest aspirations such nonmaterial things as more family time and less job stress. More and more people are coming to the conclusion that the American dream is not simply about a large house, expensive cars, and exotic vacations. It's also about peace of mind and being part of a community. They recognize the wisdom of Henry David Thoreau's declaration: "Our life is frittered away by detail.... Simplify, simplify." Here are suggestions for living more simply.

Stop Chasing the Almighty Dollar

The Bible issues this clear warning: "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income" (Ecclesiastes 5:10, NIV). * Drop out of the "rat race" by living with less to enjoy life more. A bigger house, a newer car, more possessions, and the latest fashionable clothing create tremendous stress to generate a large and larger income, but do not lead to happiness and fulfillment. Benjamin Franklin wrote: "Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of its filling a vacuum, it makes one. If it satisfies one want, it doubles and trebles that want another way."

Follow Your Calling

Scripture reminds us that life is too short to waste doing work that does not bring meaning, satisfaction, and fulfillment: "Why spend ... your labor on what does not satisfy?" (Isaiah 55:2, NIV). Many people in highly paid careers are fundamentally unhappy with their work and, consequently, their living. The solution is to make a change and follow your calling. Ask yourself what the ideal life and work would be for you. Then examine ways to make that dream a reality.

"It's never easy to leave a career in which you've spent much of your lifetime," says Michael Dainard, author of Breaking Free From Corporate Bondage. "It's even harder if you've reached a high level of success and are locked in by the golden handcuffs of a large salary, benefits, expense accounts, perks, and prestige."

Dainard speaks from personal experience. He was director of marketing for CBS television stations but left his lucrative work to follow his calling. "I wanted to be a writer, my dream since I was a child," he explains. "I'm now following a path to realize that dream. I've already published two books and 14 screenplays, and I'm working daily on writing projects. My family life is considerably richer. I've never worked harder, but it no longer seems like work because I really enjoy what I'm doing."

Don't Buy What You Don't Need

Although this sounds relatively easy to do, most of us have a habit of cluttering up our homes with things we "simply can't do without." Before making your next purchase ask yourself two important questions: Is this an item I will use regularly? Have I had some need in the past for this item? Will this purchase enhance my life now?

"You always find people buying fancy kitchen gadgets like a Mr. CrepeMaker even though they've never needed to make a crepe in their lives," notes Aaron Ahuvia, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Likewise, many people purchase expensive exercise equipment, hoping it will motivate them from a sedentary lifestyle to one that is more active. "But if they never managed to take even a 15-minute walk in the past, there's no reason to believe they will use some fancy equipment now," Ahuvia says. "Many are the home gyms currently being used as coat hangers."