by Sharon Jones

Image via Pixabay

It's probably the case that all of us, from time to time, find ourselves wishing that life could just be "easy" and "simple."

After all, certain sources of tension and frustration just seem to be really unnecessary, when all is said and done. Often, things will break when we can least afford for them to, people will let us down at the worst possible moments, and we will find ourselves losing motivation when it'd be really useful to have it.

There's no getting away from the fact that some tension is innate and inevitable in life. Everyone gets sick sometimes, everyone dies eventually, and stuff just goes wrong from time to time due to unpredictable wear and tear.

That being said, there are certainly some things we can do to remove some of the more unnecessary tension from our lives. Here are a few broad suggestions.

1. Use systems and approaches that minimise later mess and irritation

In every area of life, there will typically be systems and approaches we can use in order to make things work out, or to resolve issues, that will be pretty quick and straightforward in the here and now – but that will come with a significant risk of later mess and irritation.

A good moral to live by is to spend some time thinking about the future implications of whatever it is we're doing, so that we don't just end up setting ourselves up for trouble down the line.

This is an ancient lesson, that people have been teaching for millennia. Aesop's fable of the Grasshopper and the Ant, for example, is all about the importance of planning for the future.

So, next time you have a decision to make, think about how it will affect you down the line. Using epoxy floor coating systems to coat your concrete floor, for example, will take more work and cost more in the here and now – but can save you a lot of trouble in the years to come.

1. Speak honestly, and act  in line with your values

A lot of the tension that we experience in life, is internal tension as a result of not living in line with our values, or presenting ourselves accurately to the world.

A common finding in the world of psychology, is that we are generally pretty good at being able to withstand the tensions and challenges that come from outside. But when we live at odds with ourselves, things fall apart.

Speak honestly, and act in line with your values. It will simplify your life a lot.

1. Narrow your focus, and be more selective about what you spend your time on

A truly chaotic existence is one where you try to do everything.

By narrowing your focus, and being more selective about what you spend your time on, you prevent yourself from being overloaded with the complexity of life to the same degree, and can enjoy much more peace of mind as a result.

Another benefit of doing this, is that you likely make a lot more progress in the one or two areas of your life that you do really emphasise.