Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
For the last 8 years, I’ve been living a (relatively) simple life. At times, the complexity of my life grows, and I renew my commitment to living simply.
Living a simple life is about paring back, so that you have space to breathe.
It’s about doing with less, because you realize that having more and doing more doesn’t lead to happiness.
It’s about finding joys in the simple things, and being content with solitude, quiet, contemplation and savoring the moment.
I’ve learned some key lessons for living a simple life, and I thought I’d share a few with you.
Let's be honest: building a company from nothing is incredibly hard. It has been for me. I started my entrepreneurial journey at age 8. Yep, you read that right....8! Since then, I've started, run and sold multiple businesses with no partners and no funding. All my life I've had to build something from nothing, and that's what I've gotten really great at - tenacious, creative and extremely smart strategy coupled with hard work. Welcome to The Do What Is Necessary podcast—I’m your host, Andrew Moon.
Listen in as I share all the mistakes I’ve made and, more importantly, what I’ve learned from them, with no fluff, and no rose-colored glasses. The Do What Is Necessary Podcast is a show where we cut through the toxic hustle and grind mindset and dig into what it actually takes to start and grow a “calm business”. Calm is family first. Calm is more independence. Calm is sustainable practices for the long term. Calm is joyful. Running a calm company is a choice.
I’ll be giving unfiltered advice every week, 10 minutes per episode each. I want you to walk away from this podcast with the mindset and tools you need to be successful.
This podcast is for entrepreneurs, side hustlers, and busy professionals with a short attention span (like me)—you’ll get quick-hitting, actionable information in every single episode. If you give me your time, I promise it won't be wasted. Now let's get to work!
For the last eight years or so, I've been
trying to live a relatively simple life.
At times the complexity of my life grows.
But then I doubled down, I renew my
commitment to going back to the core.
And living as simply as possible.
Living a simple life is about paring
back so that you have space to breathe.
It's about doing less.
And you've heard me say that on
this podcast, numerous times.
Because you realize that having more and
doing more doesn't lead to happiness.
It doesn't lead to fulfillment.
It's a Mt.
Finding joys in the simple things
and being content with solitude.
Quiet, contemplation.
And savoring the moment.
Now I've done lists with a
hundred ways to simplify, but
obviously that's not very simple.
Uh, it doesn't bring calm when
there's a hundred things to do.
So today I want to share five ways.
These aren't the best or they're
not always the right ways.
But these are just some of my favorites.
The first one is to cure rate your day.
Now, this process starts with identifying
the things you want in your day,
and as if you're curating a small,
but thoughtful collection of things.
Now what handful of things
would make your day amazing.
Uh, for me taking time to
meditate, maybe reading.
Uh, writing and doing
research for this podcast.
Uh, doing my live streams.
Spending time with my loved ones
and then, you know, simple foods.
I don't, I've got a lot of
health problems because of the
life that I lived in the past.
Uh, but I find that simple foods and
movement is moving every single day.
Bring me contentment.
Uh, what would your list contain?
Yoga.
Because of family.
Drinks with friends.
Whittle it down so that
your day isn't overly full.
And then start to go through everything
that's not on the list and get rid of it.
Let go of social media and news
sites and other distractions.
If they don't fit into your curated day.
Let go of doing too much leaving
space so that the curated activities.
Feel spacious and not rushed.
Here's a couple quick actions or tools.
A simple document or notebook page,
or just the notes app on your phone.
Where you can make a curated
list of what you want your life.
That that's good enough.
Take 20 minutes and really
give this your attention.
My second tip is to live
in full screen mode.
My favorite way of going
through the day is to do every
activity in full screen mode.
When I can remember.
No, that means if I'm answering
emails, I give my full space to
read and reply to each email instead
of having a thousand tabs open.
If I'm writing, I'm just writing.
If I'm eating.
I'm just eating.
I'm not checking social media,
doing a bunch of things.
You know, on my phone or
my device while I'm eating.
And of course I don't always do
this, but when I do, I find that
my life feels so much more simple.
Each activity is generously
given its own space.
And I enjoy things a lot more.
Fully be present for every activity from
brushing your teeth, to washing dishes,
to reading a book, whatever it is.
A couple actions or
tools that you can take.
Now I am being a tech person.
I like the Chrome extension one
tab, and you can check that out, put
links in the descriptions as well.
That helps me clear way.
All of my browser tabs.
So that I can give full attention to one
thing, and I know you're all guilty of it.
I am too.
But closing all of those tabs, opening
one tab and being fully present.
Full screen writing apps, close
all the other apps on your phone or
your computer, except for the one
you're reading or if you're writing.
Turn off devices when you're not,
when you're doing something analog.
My third tip.
Is to have a weekly
clearing ritual each week.
You might consider a ritual
where you clear everything out.
Sunday is a good day for me.
And that's when I do that.
But it might be Friday for you.
Uh, spend a short time clearing
out all of your various inboxes,
getting them down to zero.
And I know that this could
be a whole podcast by itself.
But having your inbox down to zero.
Is it freeze mental space.
You're clearing out that mental clutter.
Clear everything off of your
desk, your computer desk.
Desktop, your download folder.
Get your to-do list and calendar
in good shape every single week.
Clear out clutter and papers.
All of those things add to anxiety
and the reverse of living a calm
life, which is what I promote.
This clearing ritual feels awesome.
You're ready to take on the world.
So maybe an action or a tool you can take.
Set aside an hour on your calendar
each week for that clearing ritual.
And, you know, I talk a lot about
time blocking and calendar blocking.
Go through everything you can
do and get your digital and
physical life cleared out.
And if you want a bonus, do the same
thing for your finances every week to.
Number four.
Create space between things.
Health can be such a thing that's
fragile for so many reasons.
So I find.
It's calming when I'm I can simplify.
Add padding to everything.
Do half of what you imagine you can do.
We tend to cram as much as possible
in our days in this, this becomes
stressful because we always underestimate
how long things are going to take.
And we forget about the maintenance task,
like putting on clothes and brushing
our teeth and preparing meals though.
Simple things.
We never feel like we have
enough time because we try to do.
Too much.
But what would it be like if we did less?
What would it be like if we padded,
how long things took so that we
have the space to actually do
them well with our full attention.
What would it be like if we took a
few minutes, pause between tasks.
To savor the accomplishment of that last
task to save her the space between things.
To save her being alive.
An action or tool you can take.
This week, create a 15
minute space each day.
To do nothing.
Or better yet find five things that
are on your calendar right now.
That you can eliminate
altogether and create that space.
Number five.
Slow down.
And enjoy quietude.
You don't need any material
things in order to slow down.
You just do less and savor each activity.
Take some breaths.
And give yourself more space.
Leave space between things and
enjoy that in between space.
Notice when there are moments of quiet.
And savor these as well.
Create moments of quiet if needed.
And sometimes we've got to force that.
This is the benefit of
living a simple life.
This slowness and spaciousness.
But it can also be a
path to a simple life.
Slowed down.
To simplify.
Uh,
some actions or tools that you could take.
This week, put a physical
note for yourself.
On, maybe on your computer monitor
or, or on your phone's home screen.
To slow down.
And see what that practice
might be like for you.
Of course, these are not the only lessons
you'll need for living a simple life.
But the best ones are the ones
that you discover yourself.
Try some of the ones that I've given
you today and see what happens.
I think you'll find something
beautiful about yourself.
And about life.
The best kind of simplicity is that
which exposes the raw beauty, joy, and
sometimes heartbreak of life as it is.