Visual Simplicity

Posted by Leslie | 0 comments

Most women have some type of planner or calendar system that they use to keep track of their lives. It is a common and fairly simple way of keeping track of life. Some women use a multiple calendar system, while others use a one calendar system.

Whatever system you use, you can use this visual tool to determine how you can bring the most simplicity in the easiest way.

Open your calendar to a typical month; perhaps starting with September. Photocopy the entire month on one or two pages. If you are like me, you may write most appointments and tasks in pencil, so they can be changed if needed without too much chaos on the calendar page itself. Your copier may have trouble picking up the marked appointments. If this happens simply pencil them in again on the photocopy.

Now, grab a sheet of white scrap paper and a pair of scissors.

Next, put your copied calendar month in front of you. Are you overwhelmed by all of the activities you have going on? Then simplicity is on the way! Now cut some rectangular piece of the white scrap paper that is large enough to cover an activity on a calendar line or block. Once you have about 10-20 of those (depending on how packed your calendar is) pick an activity that is low on your priority list. If you don’t have one you consider low, ask yourself, “If I had to discontinue one activity, which would I choose?” Cover each calendar line or block that contains that activity with a white paper block. Look at your calendar. Would eliminating this activity free up enough time for you to accomplish a bit more simplicity? No? Then repeat this process. You can either leave the original potentially eliminated activity covered or start from scratch. Play with this a bit until you achieve a calendar that looks like the right balance for your family.

Test your new schedule out this week. Take time to have your husband look at your calendar and the revised covered calendar. Ask his opinion on what you have done. Ask him to pray about the best way for your family to simplify. Pray about the activities that you may want to discontinue. Ask God for guidance on what is best for your family. Normally, I do this and put the covered calendar aside for a day or two. Then I come back and look again. Do I still have the feeling of being able to breathe? Do I want to uncover an activity and cover a different one? Does the current configuration reflect God’s will for your family? Once you come to a peace about this there may be some sticky areas on how to actually accomplish your goal.

The next step is to determine your method of eliminating the activities.

First, you can contact administrators of the activities you will be discontinuing and explain that upon review your husband and you have determined you cannot continue the activity. If they ask for an explanation, be honest. Explain that you are simplifying your lives and have been praying through a process of the best way to accomplish this for your family. Unfortunately, this activity is one you are going to need to discontinue. Although the administrator may not be pleased, or even try to talk you in to sticking with the activity, he/she will respect you for your honesty and resolve.

Secondly, you can do a phased out approach. Form an out strategy, which is a plan to phase out an activity. You may have committed to an activity that you now are ready to discontinue, but have made commitment which would leave the group in a negative state if you pull out completely. Determine what you can do and the time frame you will need to accomplish the tasks needed to fulfill your commitment to the best of your ability. Once you have an out strategy, you can contact the activity administrator and tell them you will be discontinuing the activity but will be staying on for X period of time to fulfill your commitments.

Whichever strategy you choose (and you may choose both depending on your commitment level for the activities you are choosing to eliminate) you will feel a peace about obeying God’s desire. When you feel like you may falter and fall back (and likely your guilt emotions will kick in) you can rest assured that not only are you following God’s desire for your life, but that you have the support of your husband. Keep in mind that guilt is not a Godly emotion, but it is in our lives more frequently than we would like. To combat the feelings of guilt, remind yourself of why you are making these changes. Think about your original calendar and what your new calendar look like side by side (this is always the clincher for me).

You are to follow God’s will for your life, no one else’s…not even your own. Obeying God’s desires for your life and living by His principles, He will abundantly bless you!

Leslie Valeska is the wife of Thomas and homeschooling mother of four children who reside in SW Florida. Her family operates Fresh Gear Solutions, LLC and enjoys RVing. She is the founder and director of Simple Journey Ministries which was established to encourage, inspire, and support women on their journey to Godly womanhood. Leslie is also employed as a vintage seamstress by Vintage Vixen.