In the era of upgrades and flashy technology, minimalism stands out as a banner. It does not rebel against progress, though. Rather, it reminds us of that age-old epigram that less is more.
Take, for example, the humble wallet. One might think that there’s nothing more to it than storage for cash and cards, but innovation adds more features to it.
While some new inventions secure your cards form certain cybersecurity risks, this still begs the question, isn’t that all too much?
It does get a little confusing when you’re trying to choose between the added benefits or opting for the basics.
This is where the principle of minimalism comes in. Plenty of successful people live by some, if not all, of its principles.
Essentially, minimalism is choosing what is useful or valuable over add-ons. In the case of the wallet, what is its most basic purpose? Your answer is a good as ours.
The principles of minimalism is two-fold: identify which is essential and then let go of the rest.
Minimalism has benefits that only it can offer. We listed them down below for you to have a glimpse of how it can help improve your day-to-day life.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is being conscious or aware of something. It is a state of active, open attention on the present. This can help you make more conscious decisions which will benefit you more than just deciding in the moment.
The minimalist lifestyle can help you rid of the things that you don’t necessarily need by mindfully and actively choosing core things and more valuable things over novelties.
When we are clear of what we want to keep, then will we able to see broader and the more important stuff we really need to get through the day successfully.
Better output
When you have only a few things to manage, you can accomplish more things and have better output.
Some may say that they can multitask, but science says otherwise. Focus on one task at a time, many experts suggest, in order to get the job done quickly and correctly.
We are natural mono-taskers. So, you get more out of your task when you do one thing at a time.
A minimalist mindset can help you focus and keep on a goal. This will help with the output as well as the learning.
Extra money
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that buying less and doing less would mean having a little extra cash on hand.
Instead of going for a flashy wallet, might as well pay for the exact amount or even less for a good quality leather wallet that also gets the job and will almost certainly outlive the more “feature-packed” counterpart.
Less stress
Clutter is one of the leading causes of stress in our lives. Minimizing your possessions or choosing items that are stripped to their core use can help simplify and clarify things for you.
Making room for the more important and necessary things can help reduce stress.
To get started in decluttering, do the 90/90 test. If you haven’t used the item in the last 90 days or plan to use it in the coming 90 days, chances are you can easily let that go.
More freedom
Dave Ramsey said: “We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.”
It this rings true to you, then it’s time for serious consideration. Choose what will benefit you, not to impress other people.
Aside from the obvious, having less stuff create more space in your home. It opens avenues for creativity and gives you a feeling of more freedom to focus on what is important.
Conclusion
Although you won’t be a full-fledged minimalist any time soon. Small steps toward applying its concepts will prove to be more than useful in your daily life.
Making conscious decisions and choosing the most valuable item will improve life in general.