✨ How I Made My Life Surprisingly Easy and More Effective
Read this if you're fed up with decision fatigue
I love making decisions!
Said no one ever.
Since becoming a stay-at-home mom, I’ve been on a mission to simplify my life and cut down on decision-making.
And I think I might’ve cracked the code.
I’ve discovered that the way I reduce the amount of decision-making in my life is through automations.
The same way you “decide” to brush your teeth in the morning. You don’t. You do it because it’s an automatic habit that you’ve taught yourself for years. Something you can do without even thinking about.
Here’s what I think:
The more you automate, the more brainpower you have for important decisions.
I mean, just think about how automation appears in our digital lives…
The iPhone shortcuts app: allows you to set up shortcuts to automate tasks on your phone, like turning on Do Not Disturb when you arrive at work
Email filters: tools like Gmail or Outlook can automatically sort your emails into different folders
Web browser extensions: extensions like LastPass or 1Password fill in passwords and other info for you
Automatic savings: set a percentage of your paycheck to deposit directly into your savings account without even seeing it
These are all examples that show how automation can make your digital life easier. But what about real life?
One day, I got tired of experiencing decision fatigue—it’s this thing that happens when your brain gets tired from making too many decisions. So I decided to create my own “rules and automations” for various situations in my life.
Inspired by Jim Collins' quote, “Don’t make a hundred decisions when one will do,” I set out to simplify my routine.
Creating these rhythms didn’t happen overnight; it took months to refine and stick with what works. You’ll see some rules are still a work in progress, and that’s the beauty of it. You can adjust your rules and automations to fit your own life.
I hope this list inspires you and sparks some ideas for making your life easier and more manageable!
⭐️ Here are my top 9 decisions I make without thinking
(aka my L.I.F.E. R.U.L.E.S.) ⭐️
I don’t know about you, but I hate falling behind on laundry. I’ve found that doing a load each day helps me wash, fold, and put it away all at once. Plus it’s easier to stay on top of. Do I always stick to it? Uhhh, maybe 80% of the time I do 😅 as I mentioned before, some of my rules are still a work in progress, and this is one of them.
Every week, I plan out our family meals and make dinner five(ish) days a week. For the longest time, I used to dread searching for recipes. To simplify, I’ve adopted themed days from The Lazy Genius: Pasta Mondays for a pasta dish every Monday, and Grill Fridays, where I do the prep and my husband handles the grilling. Now, I only need to plan for 3 out of 5 days!
Lately, when it's time to fill up my gas tank, I use that time to tidy up my car's interior. With a toddler who loves snacks, my car can get messy fast. So I make it a habit to pick up empty water bottles, old receipts, and leftover snacks, and toss them in the trash. It’s a quick fix that helps keep things a bit more organized.
To keep track of appointments and activities, I use and only use Google Calendar. My go-to secretary bestie for organizing our family life. Of course, everything is neatly color coordinated because, well… do you really use Google Cal if you don’t color-code your entire life?
Keeping track of books can be overwhelming. Since 2015, Goodreads has been my main source for tracking books I’ve read and want to read. I haven’t explored other platforms much because Goodreads has worked perfectly for me.
I keep this list on my fridge as a constant reminder to write things down as soon as we run out of them. This way, I don’t forget anything when I’m out.
Another rule I’m working on… Managing library books can be tricky, especially with a toddler. To avoid playing hide-and-seek with these dang books, I try (as much as possible) to keep them in the car so they don’t get mixed up with her own books.
My husband and I have non-negotiable workout days: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. We switched from couch time to exercise time, and it’s been… rough, to be honest lol. I’d love nothing more than to sink into the couch, binge-watch a show, and enjoy some sweets. But hey, we’re on a five-week streak now, so that’s definitely something to be proud of 🥳
Sundays are reserved for ordering and picking up groceries. Although I’d love to have them ordered earlier, Sundays have become my dedicated grocery day for awhile now, so I’m sticking with it.
Personally, these rules are flexible and can change with the different phases of life I’m in. But for now, they’ve have made my life easier, more organized, and less stressful.
Simplifying my routines and habits has allowed me to free up mental energy to focus on what matters most: my time. I’ve found more time to care for myself, nurture my family, and pursue my passions.
Ultimately, these changes have helped me achieve a better balance in life and a greater sense of accomplishment.
And I want nothing more for you, too.
What are your go-to routines or automations that make your life easier?
Last thing: please don’t ask me where I want to eat. That’s one decision I just can’t seem to make 🤪
Millie, are we the same person? You are speaking my language. Now, I just need to find time to work out again... (Also, can we talk about the beautiful font, please??)
LOVED this read! Thanks for the inspo. Gonna go do a load of laundry and start cleaning my car whenever I get gas. :)