How to Design Your Life
A guide to getting the most out of your life…with the least.
I’ve had a lot of struggles in the past with 3 particular things:
- Focus
- Creativity
- Learning
As a designer, this was a problem. Overwhelmed with what I didn’t know, and feeling the pressure to create at demanding speeds, I overloaded myself by splitting my attention too thin. Books sat on my bookshelf that I “planned” on reading. Video lectures on YouTube were saved to watch later by the dozens. To-do lists plagued my smartphone and notepads. But with all the effort and chaos, I realized how slow, uninspired, and cluttered I felt.
I noticed that the things I wanted to do in design were deeply entangled in the way I designed my life. In order to have a simple, elegant, and beautiful approach to design, I needed to have the same for the way I lived. Here are some things I did:
“We have lost contact with reality, the simplicity of life.” –Paulo Coelho
1. Never have more than 5 to-do items at a time.
The more you have clogging up your mind, the less focus you’ll have on the task at hand. Just knowing there are errands to run, people to call, even dishes to do, will slow you down mentally — even if you don’t realize it. If you have more than 5 things on your list, tend to it and get it out of the way to bring that list back down.
2. Stop marking things to read or watch later.
If you have the luxury of putting it off, it’s probably not as important as you think. Having that kind of mentality will really keep you in check when adding to your pile. Apps like Pocket that let you save articles for later might seem like a good idea, but when you find yourself clicking that ‘save to Pocket’ button too many times a day, you’re just creating more to-do items on your list. This relates very closely to number 3…
“I continue to be drawn to clarity and simplicity. ‘Less is more’ remains my mantra.” –Stephane Rolland
3. Filter what you learn.
There’s information overload everywhere. TED talks, instructional videos, political editorials, etc… But if you try to make time for everything, you’re moving in slow motion towards your end goal. Sure there’s great information out there, but unless it’s directly related to what you’re working towards, it’s just noise. Be ok with ignoring the miscellaneous — it’ll allow you to become an expert at your craft.
4. Clean.
By clean, I also mean throw out. Get rid of that shirt you never wear. Delete the apps you never use. Get rid of the icons on your desktop you never click. Make sure your glovebox has nothing more than car records (and maybe some napkins). Live a life of minimalism and free yourself from clutter. I promise it’ll impact your mind—one way or another.
“Simplicity is a state of mind.” –Charles Wagner
5. Don’t do more than you need to.
I’m going to adhere to my own advice and leave it at that.
Writer. Designer. Reality-bender. Follow me on Twitter @ImKalvinFadakar.
