In Search of Simplification

So I’m not the only one seeking some zen and simplicity lately.  Susan’s been on a kick to get herself organized, which has led to a deep and abiding love affair with Evernote, which she’s reintroduced me to.  It’s WAY freaking cooler now than it was when I signed up for it 4 years ago and it now does ALL THE THINGS I wanted–everything I loved about the now defunct Google Notebooks (R.I.P.) and then some.   With it on all available platforms (windows, iPhone, my tablet), I can take over the WORLD.  MUAHAHAHAHA.

Ahem.

In any event, one of the other things she’s pointed me to this week is Leo Babauta’s Zen to Done system.  Now Leo is the brilliant blogger behind Zen Habits, which I used to read back when I still had an awesome feed reader (R.I.P. original Bloglines).  I haven’t finished the book just yet, but reading through the list of topics or habits he lists, I already naturally do a bunch of them.  I write stuff down.  I process things as they come in instead of waiting to deal with them later.  I keep LOTS of LISTS with prioritized tasks.  I have a place for everything (which worked GREAT when I lived alone, not so well with my spouse who tends to leave things not where they go).  I have routines.

But there are still some things I’d like to work on that will, I think help clear my brain and make me more efficient at the 875,000 things I usually have to do.  I want to limit the multi-tasking.  Get stuff done without distractions (ahem, writing?).  I’ve tried to do this several times in my life and inevitably get sucked back into juggling.  I’d also like to be a bit better than I have lately about getting my Most Important Tasks out of the way earlier in the day so they don’t keep cluttering up my brain space.   It’s something I USED to do but have fallen out of again.

I really like this system.  I think it has something for both those who feel hopelessly disorganized and for those who are already pretty naturally organized and efficient.  Because it’s not entirely about efficiency or organization.  It’s about simplification.  And who among us wouldn’t benefit from some more simple in our lives?