🏴 Mission Simplify

Background

It has been said many different ways, but the spirit remains the same:

The simplest solution is usually the best solution.

Too often, we complicate things…

We think we need to implement a complex system or add steps to a procedure in order to get the best results.

In business and in life, things can escalate quickly…

• A crisis in the workplace derails your plans to get ahead

• You end up in the hospital and with a huge medical bill

• You spill raw chicken juice in your vehicle (this actually happened to one of my neighbors)

Today’s newsletter focuses on the notion that if we keep our work and life as simple as possible, we will be better-equipped to handle those major and minor inconveniences.

How to Stay Simple

First, avoid bringing excess material items into your life.

Recently, minimalism has had a resurgence… and for good reason.

People across the globe have faced “stuffocation” — the state of being suffocated by stuff.

(Amazon makes it easy to experience stuffocation.)

The following goes without saying: The fewer material goods you bring into your life, the less clutter surrounds you.

Fewer things means less stress and anxiety… and if you have less stuff, there’s less cleaning, maintenance, et cetera.

Shedding old unused things — clothes, household items, stuff that has been stored for years — is a great way to start simplifying.

Then, committing to a one in, one out rule can help keep homes and workplaces clean and clutter free.

Second, keep your digital life clear.

Overflowing inboxes, desktops littered with files, notifications galore… these are few of the most common ways we inflate and complicate our digital spaces.

So, what can we do to simplify?

• Make it a point to keep your computer’s desktop clear.

• On your phone and/or tablet, delete any apps you do not use or need.

• Unsubscribe to mailing lists that no longer serve you (including this one, if you don’t find value in it).

• Once you have helped your friend on X with her giveaway, get rid of it.

Digital spaces are easily to clutter up. Make some space.

Bonus tip: Switch your phone to grayscale.

Third, clean up your desk.

There is a correlation between the cleanliness of your workspace and your ability to focus.

A desk littered with notes, pens, charging cables, empty coffee cups, and other items may not seem like a big problem, but the presence of these extraneous gadgets, gizmos, and tools will contribute to a cluttered mind.

Make it a point to clean up your desk at the end of the day.

And if it takes you more than five minutes to get your workstation to a state of cleanliness… you might have a bigger problem on-hand.

Conclusions

I have made it a mission to simplify my calendar, inbox, workstation, home.

As I prepare to welcome my second child in the world, I am keenly aware of all the baby things we might start to accumulate, and so my wife and I have already been talking about ways we can keep things minimal.

We want to focus on our family, not on picking up clutter.

Additionally, as I seek to streamline some of my processes for writing social posts, newsletters, and blog posts, I am focusing on eliminating distractions, which has involved honing in on a few specific content pillars—a topic for a future newsletter. :)

Hope you enjoyed this edition of Mission Dominate!

If you did, reply to this message or drop me a DM and let me know.

Thanks for being here.

Peace,
Neil

P.S. I have a big-time rebrand scheduled for next week. I’m excited for it! Keep your eyes peeled! In the meanwhile, head over to my LinkedIn page and connect with me.