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The other day I finally got to cleaning up my room. In the midst of tidying up, I realized I had so many items that I didn’t know I had; I hardly used most of them. Cassette tapes, neck massager, instant cheese tteokbokki way past the expiration date. Many a times when I saw an item I hardly used, I did plan on throwing it away. Yet, I would hold back, thinking: “Perhaps it’ll come in handy someday.” Never did.
Our life can also be cluttered as well. Life is far more complex now compared to the past. Our ancestors lived simple lives as hunter gatherers; the only worry is about whether they’ll get to have another meal. Now, we have far too many choices (items, people, activities) in our present time, causing unnecessary worry and anxiety (paradox of choice). To avoid making these decisions, we decided the more the better. Consequently, we spend time on things we don’t value, maintain relationships that drains us and hoard items that continue to collect dust on the shelves. It can leave us utterly dissatisfied.
This is where minimalism comes in. It isn’t about you becoming a monk, swearing to give up all material possessions and shave your head. Instead, minimalism is an attitude we have towards life. It is about filling life with your favorite things while getting rid of unnecessary clutter. No sacrifices are needed.
Our items
I have a closet that is filled to the brim. Yet out of the dozens of clothes in my closet, I would always wear a select few. Majority of my clothing are left in the wardrobe to gather dust. If I just decided to donate or sell clothes I hardly wore, my wardrobe would be far more spacious than it is, saving me the trouble of digging through piles of clothes in search of my favorite shirt.
To be honest, we don’t need all of our stuff and we can afford to get rid of some of it. First off, it frees up space by removing unwanted clutter so you could add more things that actually brings value to your life. Second, perhaps the item could be given to someone else who values it more than you do by selling or donating it. It’s a win-win for both parties.
How should I decide which items I should get rid of? Minimalists Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus have come up with the 90/90 rule.
Look at a possession. Pick something. Anything. Have you used that item in the last 90 days? If you haven’t, will you use it in the next 90? If not, then it’s okay to let go.
Joshua Millburn
I understand the struggle to get rid of things, particularly when it comes to things of sentimental value; I really struggled when it came to selling my trading card collection. If you are on the fence about getting rid of certain items, consider packing it into a box and stashing it away for a couple of months before making a decision.
Our time
Our society is very preoccupied with maximizing productivity, getting more done in less time. Yet, if we are not loving the things we do, no matter how well we manage our time, life still feels unfulfilling. I had engaged in meditation and gymming sessions not because I particularly enjoyed it or valued it but because I saw how other people were doing it too and decided to follow. Unsurprisingly, it left me drained and I quickly stopped.
Of course, we do not always have the luxury of pursuing the things we love. If you are a working adult, perhaps you don’t enjoy what you do but spend most of your time working, leaving little time for anything else. But you can’t simply quit your job especially if it is your main source of income. Minimalism once again can help us reduce the clutter in our working day so we can spend less time at work and pursue our other interests. Tim Ferris, in his book The 4-hour workweek teaches people to reduce the amount of time spent at work or even quit their jobs entirely so they can pursue the things they love. Tim tells us that we should focus on being effective (doing the right things) and not efficient (getting tasks done as quickly as possible) at work.
Some tips suggested by Tim Ferris to be effective at work:
1. Cut down on meetings. Meetings are a huge waste of time. The only time you should call for meetings is to make a decision and the decision depends on many people. Otherwise, keep your attendance in meetings to a minimal. Convince your superior that you are utilizing the time away from the meeting to do more important work. Striving to be an indispensable asset of the company would improve your bargaining power. If they remain unpleased, promise your superior that you’ll keep up to date with what is going on by chatting with those who recently attended the meeting.
2. Keep the remaining meetings brief. Keep If you do host a meeting, ensure the meeting has a fixed agenda and is kept to a fixed schedule. You wouldn’t want people to start babbling and causing the discussion to go off track.
3. Check your emails only twice a day (once before lunch and once in the evenings). Do not leave your inbox open as each email will distract you as it comes in.
4. Batching. Try batching your tasks and process them all at once. For example, answer your emails all at one go instead of replying to them one by one.
Life is too short for us to be doing things we see no value in. Of course, there is no harm trying new things to see if you are interested and we don’t always have the luxury of choosing to do the things we love. We can of course learn to enjoy what we used to dislike. But, if you have stuck at it for quite a while and feel that it does not align with your values and direction in life, perhaps you should consider dropping it.
Our relationships
British anthropologist Robin Dunbar found that we can only maintain about 150 relationships at any point in time. It doesn’t matter how many followers or friends you have on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. We only have the time and energy to substantially invest in 150 relationships. Hopefully, you are investing in friends and family that would lend a hand when you require help or be there to listen to your concerns and provide valuable feedback.
However, are we really surrounding ourselves with the right people? Looking back, I realized I had wasted a lot of time on (a) people who were toxic, (b) people who left me drained and (c) people I had no commonalities with but I decided to keep around. We should be focusing on the quality and not quantity of our connections. So, I became less active on social media and messaging apps and spent more time meeting people face to face. I stopped contacting people I didn’t value. Instead, I surrounded myself with people who shared the same interests and mindsets I had. I joined interest and activist groups and connected with them. I never once looked back. Surround with people who love and support you, who inspire to become a better person and life’s journey will be far more exciting.
Final note
From my perspective, at the core of minimalism lies the idea of impermanence. Everything is temporary. You might have had a great relationship with the person or loved the item very much. But that is all in the past. Once it is time to let it go, let it go. The idea of impermanence applies to us as well. Our time on earth is limited. So, instead of crowding our lives with unnecessary clutter, why not clear it up and focus on the people and things that truly matter.
Now, it’s back to cleaning up my room.