The Real Big Social Bubble

Commerce and consumption and social stress near the limit?

We may be entering times of great social unrest. There are too many corporations, selling too many products, with too many varieties, too aggressively!

We, who are able to, are consuming too much, resulting great waste and pollution.

There has been some talk of a long term commercial bubble that is strained considerably and about to burst. Perhaps like previous occurrences when business, markets and spending were pushed too high by investment, business and consumer recklessness. They then slumped and later returned to a more normal trend line. While we may again repeat that cycle there is also concern circulating about double dipping to yet new lows and perhaps worse.

Much of the populace is in worry mode about finances, family, and the environment and what lies ahead for our lifestyles and the world in general. These are both confusing and stressful times if we consider some of the negative trends in the way commerce, government and people are acting and interacting. The circumstances this time might be quite different than in earlier serious setbacks as there have been so many social changes for so many years, both positive and negative.

In my 77 years I have seen so many great advances made in living standards, for most; yet there has not been accompanying success in attaining greater social happiness, world peace or eliminating poverty. Over the past decades in the developed world, our society has turned into a consumption monster where more is never enough. So many excesses have been pumped into the way we live under the intense pressure applied by corporate marketing. Commercial interests are now always in the forefront 'encouraging' us onward.

Have we come too far down the wrong path for a gentle turnaround?

The ideology of free enterprise is total devotion to maximizing profits in any manner allowed and increasingly without fairness. There is also a lack of effective laws to control unethical business practices, or the will to enforce those that exist. This infected free enterprise system is allowed to grow with little obstruction and in such a way that social abuse for personal or corporate gain becomes more acceptable with each passing year. Competition for consumers' money, to increase shareholder value, is always a priority. This has some very undesirable effects on society as corporate methods intensify and become less ethical.

The overall results are obvious. We are living in an era of ongoing dissatisfaction with what we have, and with what we must have. We have been told over and over that we need more stuff - and we believe it. Most of us. We are going to pay the price for allowing this, in our living standard values, and with world social distress and environmental deterioration.

Democracy's 'free enterprise' has been too free as it has allowed the corporate world to design our social habits and standards to their liking and financial benefits. We have been programmed to always expect more, much of which is non-essential or promotes unhealthy or stressful living and resulting in great amounts of waste being dumped every day.

Too many, too large corporations are producing and marketing too many goods and services that do not make life better or may even be harmful. The costs of material and wages are wasted when the production is unneeded whereas they could be directed to producing more goods and services that have social and family values, such as in education, health, peace, poverty assistance and world friendly projects. Regularly today newer products and services are unimproved, of poor quality, defective or unworkable and simple junk. But too often it can be sold for no good purpose other than for profit, depleting and spoiling our world's natural resources needlessly.

Can pumping money into a faltering enterprise system, to encourage more buying to boost the economy and markets really help society? Perhaps.

But we must consider some of the material things that are now aggressively merchandised that are excessive in quantity, size, style and cost; proud possessions such as cars, homes, clothes, appliances, gadgets and toys. Increasingly these have too many features so they can be proclaimed 'New and Improved'. There are too many varieties of too many products, which might not differ significantly but will waste more retail space and fill our shelves at home, perhaps to be trashed unused.

And while exorbitant riches may come from this and be too easily or unjustly accumulated for some, others in this world live in devastating and cruel poverty.

A more valued, equitably distributed lifestyle lies ahead for the world's citizens, but not with the underlying commercial and political strategies of today.

Perhaps we will continue this trend another decade or more until it no longer holds together. An unfortunate outcome, but at some point in time consumers will have had enough. They will become dissatisfied with democracy's hang-ups and begin to regret life's stresses used in the processes of acquiring those things which do not make for a better life at all. In very recent years there has been a backlash slowly arising. The serious issues of global warming and environmental deterioration have had increased attention that will hopefully expand significantly.

But to fix this once and for all we also need to return to a more rational way of existing that is satisfying and fair to all, and sustainable. We cannot continue with our high flying market-consume way of living if we want a society that we can feel good about. Simpler living is one prescription, from the super rich corporate executives, athletes and entertainers, down to so many middle class citizens we need to downsize our artificial desires. And the lives of the unfortunate lower class must be improved and poverty eliminated.

This will require a new way of thinking about ourselves and our place in the world and it will be necessary for citizens to voice their dissatisfaction with the commercially oriented society. We must insist on strong and innovative systems of government for all that do not favor corporations and the elite.

Consumers will become dissatisfied with democracy's hang-ups and begin to regret life's stresses used in the processes of acquiring those things which do not make for a better life at all. In very recent years there has been a backlash slowly arising. The serious issues of global warming and environmental deterioration have received increased attention in recent years and hopefully will become mainstream in future social planning.

But restoring normalcy to the artificial aspects of our way of living will involve less commercialism and consumption. Outlawing excessive and deceptive or harmful advertising would be a good start towards long term social healing. Imagine the changes if there were strict regulations in place, with goods and services purchased more wisely, not by persuasion but out of necessity or by word-of-mouth recommendation.

Marketing and consumerism are due for severe trimming, in this decade or perhaps much further on. Profits will shrink, businesses will suffer and markets will drop as we begin to return to a more natural existence.

Sooner or later, quickly and harshly, or gently over time, a simpler and happier society lies ahead.

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January 1, 2063: We live in such a wonderful era

2062 was another happy and peaceful year. Surely this will enter the history books as a time of widespread prosperity, love and happiness for all in this world. The continuing social improvements each year have meant so much; like the recent one hour reduction in the work week to 20 hours. This has helped personally in our expansion of the blueberries section of our garden, and of course there's more time for hiking, crafting, and other interesting stress less hobbies.
 
The new World Order with a just and central government has accomplished so much.

• Dictatorships are non-existent with a new democratic model that is true to all people.
• Management of local and global affairs is completely free of the corporate influences.
• With the peace structure now in place the possibility of future wars appears remote.
• The elimination of poverty, prejudice and human injustices has been accomplished.
• Today's friendly, happy and relaxed lifestyle is so much kinder to people and planet.

What a difference life is from the days of my grandparents early in this century. Researching online news databases turns up some surprising facts about the ills of society then. So many were so consumed with doing so many of the wrong things. There was great wasting of precious days while working excessively to accumulate more possessions. It was only to buy so many useless things that polluted badly and had no true value or wholesome or natural pleasures attached to them.

What were they thinking?
Society had become too fast, too nervous and nasty. In the age of too much, they gobbled up natural resources and competed frantically with fellow creatures for more of everything. They strived so hard to acquire that next thing, always pushed on by the big free enterprise marketing machines. In their efforts, family, friends and nature were often neglected and the world's unfortunate poor were all but forgotten by most.

There were so many conveniences and automatics in their world that they barely needed to lift a finger to do anything. Yet people stressed long and frantically to acquire the money to live this way. The majority were fixed on this 'achievement' of obtaining more goods and services. It does not make any sense but it was their lifestyle, even while so many starved and millions of newborns on the other side had virtually no chance of survival beyond a few painful years.

Corporations ran the show.
Commerce had attained the power to influence government in many ways and very convincingly (and profitably) shaped citizens' habits. Business received preferences from government to the citizens' disadvantage and social displeasure continued to grow.

Commercial interests designed consumers' life styles; the clothes, cars, homes and other products they bought, and even how they should interact socially and as a family. The tool used was advertising which had increased in volume and intensity for so many years that it was virtually everywhere - on TV, telephone, internet, junk mail, buses, arenas, public buildings... Citizens were subjected to 1000's of ads each day. There were even advertisements on people's clothing which the wearers were proud to display for the manufacturer.

Great advances in medical technologies extended life spans even though they were increasingly plagued with sicknesses such as obesity, cancer and diabetes. Flashy ads for unhealthy food products received much of the blame as it extended to children through immense advertising with cute logos and fun attractions.

Real fun was disappearing.
Family time had taken on a new meaning with extra work and shopping hours. In the home there were separate TV's for parents and children and viewed in separate rooms. Healthy exposure to nature, outdoor games and exercise practically disappeared and were not included at all in many families' lives.

The production and disposal of unnecessities was devastating the environment. Consuming was the thing and there was so much to buy, much of it so flashy and so grand. Imagine owning a 6000 pound automobile and never walking several blocks to a store or riding public transit. Family homes sometimes had 10 or more huge, beautifully furnished rooms that took so much time to maintain, and so much of life to earn the money to pay for it.

Competition to appear better than average became a social 'value' for so many, often occupying their lives and diluting values in the process. Corporate marketing encouraged this and was mean as they had set their sights on children for a life long conscription. Morally wrong, but the young would supply a continuation of profits for another generation. But product design and marketing creativity would eventually peak when lifestyles become too tiring and people wanted something better.

Ethics abandoned.
Corporations became monstrous and the competition vicious as they scrambled for sales. Moral principles were abandoned at an increasing rate as there were inadequate government restrictions or they were not enforced. In some industries the extent of marketing deception was unbelievable according to today's standards. Some very strange and disturbing ways of doing business became popular and were used across industries. Cunning and devious methods to trick consumers out of their money proliferated.

Fine print was only one popular way to hide true costs, to sell inferior products or trap buyers into regrettable contracts; "The warranty only..." "Assumes no responsibility..." "Some conditions apply..." Ads and agreements required careful study, word by word, and then you had to take your chances because it was too difficult to understand.

Deceitful ads were everywhere; it was hard to believe any of it anymore. The worst was food packaging - a serious health issue. The label's bold lettering did not indicate contents like excess saturated fat, salt, sugar, preservatives, taste enhancers, and insecticides. That was in faded, small and hard to read print.

Getting scammed by a sly marketing scheme or trapped in an agreement was no longer a big deal, it happened all the time. Almost nobody complained, because if they did the response was usually fluff, perhaps delivered by a fast talking customer relations mouthpiece. Buyers might even feel embarrassed for getting tricked again.

The credit business was big and profitable and mean. Enticements and offers were in the mailbox regularly. Gouging with excessive rates and lending to those who could not afford it trapped so many causing personal bankruptcies.

Sports were real big but suggestions were that they were made big for viewing, for advertising, for business. Pro athletes were paid many millions as average sports loving families could not afford game tickets. Companies bought season tickets to pass out as 'gifts'. Weirder yet - while dog and bird fighting were cruel and strictly against the law, arenas were packed with 25000 people who came to watch hockey players administer black eyes and teeth removal on the opponent players.

Gambling was illegal except for government as they profited from lotteries and casinos through out the country. It was done with intense advertising campaigns encouraging citizens to "GET RICH". The results included broken families, suicides and profit in the name of the taxpayer. But they did caution; "Gambling can lead to financial and legal problems, loss of career and family, and other serious issues." No kidding!

The rich-poor gap in an unjust world. The inequality in revenue between the wealthiest and poorest citizens widened out of proportion. It was just too easy to acquire more when at the top and too difficult when struggling to survive at the bottom. Coverage of poverty issues was overwhelmed by reports on entertainment, sports and rich lifestyles. The globalization of trade did not always significantly improve the lives of workers in developing countries. Desperately needing income they often worked excessive hours, in difficult and unhealthy conditions, at very low pay to deliver low cost products to big enterprise for huge markups.

10 million children were dying every year of hunger and easily preventable diseases while over here millions suffered from obesity.

Natural areas of fields and forests, rivers and oceans were gradually turning into mammoth garbage deposits from the great consumption binge. So much stuff became completely obsolete in just a few years. Environmental destruction had become a popular topic as the globe got warmer, and yet junk marketing of unneeded stuff marched on, and they kept on buying. 'Free' enterprise's drive for greater sales and profits resulted in continually expanding wasteful consumption.

A big problem: Which corporations would cut back profits for the good of people and the world?

There was increasing interest in bringing more attention to these worldly ailments and to make things better. But the voices for positive change had been extremely week compared to the massively funded corporate promotions, denial campaigns and consumer marketing. Private broadcasting media kept things moving wrongly. Governments were apparently content with the bad ways of business as many wealthy politicians were benefiting in some way. The false prosperity had created a merry-go-round run amok and a degradation of true social well being.

Peace in paradise.
Then much as trends sometimes take hold and spread through a nation and then around the world, so did the desire for peace, simplicity and truer life values. People were saying; "There is a better way!" Conscience and good sense were affecting a new generation as never before as people's main interest became justice and happiness, for themselves and for all others.  

The internet was given credit as the tool used to initiate, discuss and bring about real positive change in society. The personal generosity and persistence of a relative few had spread to very many as the idea that good for others was better for you, and that simple was a most satisfying way to live.

And today we are so grateful to all those people who demanded social improvement. They should see democracy now; citizens telling the corporations what they can and cannot do, with government making it work - for the people.

Thank you for bringing us to this garden of enchantment and plenty for all.


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Materialism and Happiness

Tis the Season to Consume, to Waste and Spoil.
 
Unless you should choose to do otherwise,
for the well being of the world and for you and yours.

Consumerism: The continuing desire to acquire more and better goods and services. The belief that an accumulation and consumption of more than is needed demonstrates success and achieves happiness.

Procuring material excesses in order to live the good life is a fallacy of our times.

Materialism and Happiness; it is not necessarily a choice of basic or too much and many people in this world would be happier with more money - to buy basic necessities - the poor. For the rest of us it is a balancing act where, after a certain point, the effort to earn more money and have more possessions begins to take from our peace and happiness.

Increasingly in our consumer world the excessive efforts required to accumulate more riches brings on all kinds of problems including anxieties and poor health. It usually requires special efforts including theft of life's precious hours and days.

Too often extraordinary dedication and energy are used to accumulate grand possessions, and more often than we read about, crime is the means to ‘succeed’. Some extremely rich and powerful business people have ended up behind bars, and they are only a fraction of those who belong there. The final results of getting to the top can be empty, disappointing or disastrous.

Those that succeed in attaining riches are not necessarily any happier at all, particularly if they have stressed all along the way, or are still yearning for more. This is often the case and the news frequently contains incidents of family failures, addictions and other sad experiences of popular people. How many entertainment and sports heroes and other rich and famous idols have fallen into pits of anguish? Living with tensions and so far removed from the basic natural pleasures that life has to offer.

At the other extreme you may have noted on TV, scenes of people in poorer nations, particularly children, happily enjoying themselves in very impoverished surroundings. Those that have at least the basics; food, clothing and shelter. That should send an important message.

Protect yourself against affluenza, n. a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more. - Wikipedia

Average citizens have been programmed, to some degree, to the consumer lifestyle. They are encouraged daily to feel better and more important with bigger, better, newer stuff. However this self-indulgence can be artificial and short term as each new possession fades away. Meanwhile days get busier and feelings edgier if falling behind the trends, even when accumulating considerable new things.

Consumed with the idea of always wanting more puts one in a state of continual frustration, forever in need, artificially. For many keeping up with peers can be a life long struggle, depending on finances and how the continuous marketing hype affects them. To add to the negative effects, so much of what was shrewdly marketed with slick ads does not meet basic expectations after purchase, or is junk.

Materialism places a burden on families as quality time together lessens or disappears.

Everywhere in countries that have prospered, excesses prevail even while there exists a lack of basic requirements for so many of their people. Even while so much of the world's people live in abject poverty. It is so imbalanced; a world of abundance and wastage, and a world of misery and hopelessness.

Where excesses are widespread they can be magnificent. Houses have grown immensely over the years using up more land and natural resources to build them, fuel to keep them cozy and furniture to fill them. Consumers want more impressive homes and although there may be much more space in which to roam, spacious rooms do not necessarily translate to cozy comfort. And there is the extra cost that can be a hindrance to other more enjoyable and healthier experiences.

The auto industry has made many fortunes selling us more than we need but may be reaching the tipping point. They are just too costly for mother earth and her inhabitants.

The merchandising of styles and the branding of consumers, children in particular, has worked enormously well for industry. It is not working well for families and society in general. Styles promote a competitive environment while friendship grows healthier in a noncompetitive environment.

Many, if not most, are on a consumer treadmill and would like to slow it down or get right off, but there is always that pressure applied to keep going. What is most upsetting is that this pressure has been directed at kids, conscripting them to a life dedicated to 'needing' and consuming.

It is the corporate agenda, massively funded and very powerful.

Simple peaceful living with smaller, lesser, basic.
There are obvious advantages to toning down our consumption which may not be obvious to those addicted to the persuasion box and other marketing media's assembly line output of temptations.

A generally calmer and happier existence should be a direct result of a simpler lifestyle, working less anxiously with generous amounts of free time for hobbies, play and family at home. Turning off the TV and heading outdoors could be the first and easiest way to get started on a positive improvement routine.

En masse as a social trend, simple living would result in much needed easing to the destruction of our lands, seas and animals.

Remember that this widespread consuming mania is designed by corporations for corporations so do yourself a favor and live easier and happier - get off the treadmill.

"A society in which consumption has to be artificially stimulated in order to keep production going is a society founded on trash and waste, and such a society is a house built on sand." - Dorothy L. Sayers

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Oversized Homes Costly and Wasteful

The wasteful production and consumption of oversized houses, cars, meals, services... have created over-sized headaches for society and the world.

The big roomy house requiring comfortable transportation to and from the suburbs has been one of the costliest detriments to sensible social development.

There is an increase in life stresses to earn more to obtain products and services that are more than we comfortably need. There is also waste and the environment to consider. As concern about nature and our social well-being are becoming more topical each year, we are beginning to realize this frantic consumer anxiety needs to be reigned in.

No more, please!

There are those huge meals that we get in restaurants that we cannot finish and are garbaged, or are unhealthy if we do manage to cram them down. Hardly a day passes where we are not coaxed to come in for more.

Downsizing our cars finally appears to be in our future but strong corporate marketing continues to dictate otherwise.

Now the scaling down of the consumer's most costly purchase, a home, may be in line for a sizable reduction in size and cost. Yet with so many making money in this business and with the encouragement to possess a 'Luxury Home You Deserve' change will be very difficult.

The 2008 US financial and housing crisis and environmental considerations have many thinking smaller. It's about time; in many areas homes have dramatically doubled or tripled in size in several decades.

There is so much to be said for reversing the grander is better trend in home ownership, as it has been a strain on society and nature. But will the corporations allow it?

Can this long trend to oversized homes be stopped and reversed?

The consumer motive: acquiring status; impressing friends, neighbors and anyone else who might be impressed or look on with envy.

The basic purpose: an ongoing need to increase business profits and using strong advertising to accomplish the task.

A difficult problem: which corporations will relinquish sales and profits for the good of citizens and mother nature?

While a larger house might display status and success, real or borrowed, there is a heavy cost in resources, both natural and personal. Besides the higher original financial cost there are greater expenditures on taxes, heating, maintenance and repair. Big houses cost!

Overly consuming citizens really need to reconsider their purposes and increase their interest in the environment, the world as a whole, and their own well being. And government needs to do the job that governments are supposed to do.

So now and again lets review what is important in life, like stress free living with simple but fun, relaxed lifestyles. A conservative simple home containing a contented loving family sounds good.

Smaller Homes for Sustainable
Living a simpler, more earth-friendly life begins with the kind of home you wake up in every morning. If contributing to a sustainable future is important to you, one single change in your lifestyle can make the biggest difference of all: living in a smaller house. Just as any motorcycle is more energy-efficient than any car, small is beautiful when it comes to houses too.

The Benefits of Small Home Living

There is a plethora of purely personal advantages to living in a smaller home:

• There is less to clean, less to maintain.
• Small homes are inherently energy-efficient.
• Smaller homes are cheaper to buy and cheaper to build.

Housing is almost always the largest expense most people will ever face. Imagine living comfortably in your small house with your small or even non-existent mortgage, and the idea of small being beautiful takes on new meaning:

If you are building new, your upfront costs will be far less.
Because you won’t have large expanses to cover, you’ll be able to use finer materials and employ superior craftsmanship for your home: quality over quantity.
With limited space, you’ll be less apt to accumulate unneeded objects and useless clutter.
In a nicely designed small house, everything is cozy and convenient, helping life to run more smoothly. With the savings in time and money, you can devote more of your leisure to your social life and hobbies.

Source: From an earlier article in Green Living Ideas website published by Important Media. This is a decentralized, niche blog network, dedicated to covering those issues which are important to our collective and individual well-being, from humanity’s survival to human happiness.

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A Simple Happy Life in a Just and Sensible Society

At some time in the future the world's bloated affluent societies
will be much simpler and a more enjoyable place to exist.

Social 'progress' today relies primarily on commercial growth and consumer over-consumption to expand. So many of us are totally tuned in to this continuing socio-economic routine and the young appear lined up for a life of the same. In the richer regions of the world it is what we are. Materialism is firmly entrenched as we work and live uneasily, anticipating ownership of that next thing. Often friends and family will take a back seat as we toil away.

How many of our recent conversations have been about new products like clothing and cars, new tech gadgets...? Interesting but usually introducing a bit of competition, perhaps unconsciously to the discussions. And advertising is always present in our lives heightening the desire for the need for something new or better.

This long running consuming binge will falter as the negative effects that wasteful living has on the planet and it's habitants becomes totally obvious to all. But change will come. It will be gradual through a shift in social values; or by economic shock with massive corporate failures and crippled government operations. The continual feverish competition for profits with the bottoming of corporate ethics will reach a limit.

People will finally demand change, with truly democratic governments whose first priorities are their people. They will want the elimination of grave injustices such as poverty and starvation, and environmental destruction. Isn't it time now for that change to a fairer, more satisfying and simpler existence?



What Is Simple Living?
According to Duane Elgin author, speaker, educator, consultant, and media activist it is "Living in a way that is outwardly simple and inwardly rich."

That sounds very refreshing compared to our fast-paced 'I need more money, I need more things' daily existence. It is much easier said than to do when all others seem actively participating in the race to acquire. Yet as interest in our natural world and in other people increases, and as the idea of a peaceful satisfying wholesome lifestyle becomes more appealing, a change in social values is entirely possible .

Why Choose Simplicity? asks The Simple Living Network
"In these difficult economic times of broken government, corporate bailouts, failing health care, a widening gap between the rich and poor, unemployment, and soaring debt, just about everyone is looking for smart ways to do more with less. For many, consciously choosing to live more simply is a practical, down-to-earth option that really works.

There are just about as many definitions as there are individuals who practice it. Simple living is not about living in poverty or self-inflicted deprivation. Rather, it is about living an examined life — one in which you have determined what is important, or "enough," for you, discarding the rest."

There is a wealth of information on the Simple Living website including articles, resources, tools, examples and contacts for conscious, simple, healthy and restorative living. It also has discussion forums where you can share your simple living experiences, ask and answer questions, post messages and communicate directly with others. Topics are in a wide variety of categories: Consumerism & The Media, Creating Community, Environmental Issues, Family Matters & Relationships, Food & Recipes, Frugality & Tightwading and more. Check in on the forums.

Wikipedia on Voluntary Simplicity
"Simple living (or voluntary simplicity) is a lifestyle individuals choose to minimize the 'more-is-better' pursuit of wealth and consumption. Adherents choose simple living for a variety of reasons, such as spirituality, health, increase in 'quality time' for family and friends, stress reduction, conservation, social justice or anti-consumerism. Others choose it for personal taste, personal economy or as participating in sustainable development.

Simple living as a concept is distinguished from those living in forced poverty, as it is a voluntary lifestyle choice. Although asceticism may resemble voluntary simplicity, proponents of simple living are not all ascetics. The term "downshifting" is often used to describe the act of moving from a lifestyle of greater consumption towards a lifestyle based on voluntary simplicity."

This article is a revision and extension of an earlier post as per Article Blogs and Re-posting.

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Consumption and the Environment

Commerce and society's consuming lifestyles the big natural spoiler.

Consumption: damage, destruction, exhaustion, loss, ruin, waste.
Interesting, synonyms for today's popular social occupation of consuming.

When we read about environmental deterioration and the protective remedies required, the solutions most talked about understate the most important fact. Sure we need to protect our resources, buy energy efficient products, reduce waste and pollution and there are hundreds of ways to do so. These requirements which we have finally begun working on more seriously are increasingly well discussed.

But lifestyles of consumerism have given so many of us in the richer countries that feeling of 'prosperity' without due consideration of the overall effects. Marketing has been the engine, with business and shareholder profits the purpose. Half the world has been unnecessarily over consuming, leading us down the path to destroying our planet.

It's what has made the economic system work so well financially, for so long. The system has not done so well with improving social values, family life and world poverty.

Consumption excesses.
There are currently many ideas and initiatives to slow the environmental damage but that will not be enough. A dramatic social change will be required to make the largest impact in halting and reversing this downward spiral. A change to simpler, valued lifestyles of consuming less, which so many have left behind, is looming. By choice or by result.

Through decades of steady corporate enticements, the consuming 'haves' of the world are consuming just too much, and looking forward to acquiring yet more. More gadgets, cars, homes, autos, clothes; and bigger and better each time.

Where is 'enough' in this picture?

The status quo social structure depends on maintaining this commerce-consume routine. It is solidly established and moving onward. Advertising is the tool - the go between connecting business and citizen. We should be very concerned about how we have been programmed and how our lives have been affected.

As world trade expands and the poorer nations seek a better and more humane existence some false concerns may arise. It's not simply a result of too many people on the planet.

Consumption dwarfs population as main environmental threat.
It’s the great taboo, I hear many environmentalists say. Population growth is the driving force behind our wrecking of the planet, but we are afraid to discuss it.

It sounds like a no-brainer. More people must inevitably be bad for the environment, taking more resources and causing more pollution, driving the planet ever farther beyond its carrying capacity. But hold on. This is a terribly convenient argument - “over-consumers” in rich countries can blame “over-breeders” in distant lands for the state of the planet. But what are the facts?

The world’s population quadrupled to six billion people during the 20th century. It is still rising and may reach 9 billion by 2050. Yet for at least the past century, rising per-capita incomes have outstripped the rising head count several times over. And while incomes don’t translate precisely into increased resource use and pollution, the correlation is distressingly strong.

Moreover, most of the extra consumption has been in rich countries that have long since given up adding substantial numbers to their population.

By almost any measure, a small proportion of the world’s people take the majority of the world’s resources and produce the majority of its pollution. Take carbon dioxide emissions - a measure of our impact on climate but also a surrogate for fossil fuel consumption. Stephen Pacala, director of the Princeton Environment Institute, calculates that the world’s richest half-billion people - that’s about 7 per cent of the global population - are responsible for 50 per cent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. Meanwhile the poorest 50 per cent are responsible for just 7 per cent of emissions.
. . .
comparisons between nations are firm enough to be useful.

They show that sustaining the lifestyle of the average American takes 9.5 hectares, while Australians and Canadians require 7.8 and 7.1 hectares respectively; Britons, 5.3 hectares; Germans, 4.2; and the Japanese, 4.9. The world average is 2.7 hectares. China is still below that figure at 2.1, while India and most of Africa (where the majority of future world population growth will take place) are at or below 1.0.

The United States always gets singled out. But for good reason: It is the world’s largest consumer. Americans take the greatest share of most of the world’s major commodities: corn, coffee, copper, lead, zinc, aluminum, rubber, oil seeds, oil, and natural gas. For many others, Americans are the largest per-capita consumers. In “super-size-me” land, Americans gobble up more than 120kg of meat a year per person, compared to just 6kg in India, for instance.
Read this Online Opinion article by Fred Pearce.

The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. It exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

From the other side of the globe from here: India Environmental Portal
A very interesting site by the Centre for Science and Environment. It has a wide variety of environment articles and resources on pollution, forests, industry, water, climate, energy and more.

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Money, Values and Happiness

Living successfully in the consumer rat race society.

A happy successful life is much easier to acquire than a rich successful life.
But wait a minute - isn't that just what we want - a HAPPY successful life?
So why then do so many people strive and stress so hard to make more money?

To buy more stuff!

It's a hectic routine as after each acquisition sights are often immediately set on the next new or better thing. And the consuming anxiety continues, with the need for more money.

How silly is that? It's worse than silly when it takes so much form our natural enjoyments and peace of mind - from the only life we will ever have.

Thomas Jefferson lamented, "The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family".

Most of our stresses and tensions are a result of the social environment in which we exist. As this consumer mania that surrounds us continues to expand it becomes more difficult to break free of the madness to acquire more of everything, including more anxieties and poorer health. To be anxious for more or to envy another's life or possessions is a state of frustration and unhappiness.

So the basic sensible logic is right there. Live simpler, easier and happier because the most enjoyable things cost less or nothing. We will have achieved that better life when we are no longer trying to achieve a better life. It means that we are content, as we should be, with ourselves and what we have.

What do we have?
Perhaps it is time to make a list of all the good things that we have to grateful for and satisfied about and see if we do not already have what we really need. There is life itself and everything that is naturally before us. We just have to look around and take it in. There are friends and family that we would miss dearly if they were not here, or if we did not take the time to enjoy them. When we go for a simple walk there is so much to see and appreciate if we will only see, hear, and smell. There are flowers, trees, birds, and clouds in the sky. A friendly neighbor waving, a cute puppy or a child enthusiastically enjoying so much that very moment in life.

So we can make a resolution and set about a plan to disconnect from the rat race and enter the garden.

There are lots of books on this topic as well as very many articles in blogs and websites and we only need to get interested to start the shift to a more serene and satisfying existence.

From elsewhere on the net:

Stop trying to impress other people.
Trent at The Simple Dollar offers 6 ways to break through that situation.
1. Take the lead. Be a trendsetter within your group. Back away from the expenses and activities that revolve mostly around impressing other people. Make suggestions for activities that don’t revolve around showing off.

2. Try new activities. You can do this either with your circle of friends or on your own, but try out new things that you might never have considered before. Think of things that seemed fun to you but you never got involved with because others around you decried them - and you were trying hard to impress them by agreeing.

3. Guide the conversation. If the conversation turns to bland compliments of each other and insults of people outside your group, steer the conversation away from it. Focus on being positive towards everyone, particularly in non-material areas. Pick areas you’re passionate about (don’t be a one trick pony - figure out several) and guide the conversation there instead.

4. Use your compliments wisely. Offer compliments on jobs well done, but don’t bother with big compliments on new gadgets or new clothing or a shiny new car. It’ll become clear that what you value are people who take charge of their life, not people who fritter away their money trying to impress others.

5. Share personal growth oriented thoughts. Instead of talking about popular culture and “stuff” all the time, instead mix in some thoughts on personal growth. Talk about ways you’re trimming your spending in positive ways. Talk about your big aspirations and dreams. Encourage others to share theirs as well. It also helps to read good materials in these areas so that you have more food for your own thought and more ideas to share.

6. Explore new relationships. If your circle of friends is still focused too heavily on impressing others and on material gains, spend some time exploring new relationships. Call up people you’ve thought of as interesting but simply wouldn’t fit in your old group and see what they’re up to. Connect with people at the new activities you’re trying. (I’ll touch on this a little bit more with a later rule.)

In short, don’t play socially by the tired old rules that revolve around needing to impress people. Instead, spend your time on things that bring real value to you - and give real value to others.

From Zen Habits The Cheapskate Guide: 50 Tips for Frugal Living
Includes a big bundle of ideas for saving money. Here are a selected few:

1 Go with one car. Many families have two or more cars. Besides your house, your car is probably your most expensive item. If you can do with one, you should. My wife and I both work, and we have six kids, and yet we have learned to manage with one car.

2 Go with a smaller house. Just because you can afford a larger house, doesn’t mean you should live in one. Live in as small a house as you can and still be comfortable. I don’t mean you should live in a one-room apartment with a family of four … you know what I mean. You can save thousands a year with a smaller house. Many times, if you get rid of a lot of clutter, you don’t need a large house.

6 Eat out less. One of the biggest expenses in our daily lives is eating out — the average person spends well over $2,000 a year on eating out . . .

11 Don’t shop. Don’t go to the mall or other shopping area or department store to look around and shop. Go to a store if you know what you need, and then get out.

12 Use a 30-day list. To curb impulse buys, create a 30-day list. When you want to buy something, other than a true necessity (medicine or food, for example), put it on this list, with the date you added it to the list. And make it a rule that you can’t buy anything for at least 30 days after you put it on the list.

21 Sell your clutter. This is not so much saving money as making it, but the frugal, simplifying cheapskate, like myself, will want to declutter and make a few bucks doing it.

28 Stay home. Becoming a homebody might not sound like a lot of fun, but it really can be. I love staying home with my family. We can do all kinds of fun things at home.

35 Reduce convenience foods. Frozen foods, microwaveable stuff, junk food … anything that’s packaged and prepared for our convenience is not only more expensive than something you cook yourself, but also most likely less healthy.

Related articles here at S-F
Photo: Little Gardener by ckgd2

Social Bullying is Big Business

The corporate use of bully marketing has increased considerably in over the years. Shaming consumers as one way to convince them that they need certain products. As we compare our possessions with one another we tend to develop a need to belong to a certain material status and perhaps keep ahead to be really cool and admired. In competing this way with one another we travel down an unnatural path.

Bullying is an intimidating, harmful mental or physical act directed at an individual and rooted in meanness. Milder, widespread bullying is often associated with consumerism, both by individuals in a social group and by corporate marketers greedily playing on social fears to create false desires - for their goods.

We are constantly bombarded with persuasions to improve our lives artificially by acquiring more things. We must have newer, bigger, better cars, the latest branded styles, gadgets, higher end homes and furniture and we should look beautiful too. Acquire these things or we might feel inferior.

A promotional technique used by corporations seeking higher profits is to make people feel inadequate if they do not own a certain product, because the smart good looking people have it. The marketing can be crafty and cunning often convincing us that life will not be OK, unless we gain the acceptance or admiration of others. An individual captured by this type of marketing might feel inadequate and even humiliated unless possessing these 'necessities'. And it can be very difficult to resist if peers have already given in to the pressure.

The result of all this can be a strong underlying urge to compete and raise one's standing at the office, school or neighborhood. This can be harmful or even devastating to those who will not or cannot keep up. Youths can be very stressed in these situations as they worry about socializing and their future. Various forms of bullying can result in sad personal consequences including social anxieties or worse.

Advertisers Strike it Rich Targeting Kids
"Advertisers now spend more than $230 billion a year, or $2,190 per household, according to advertising giant McCann-Erickson, and there is little question that much of that advertising is designed to effectively target kids. Kids 12-19 spent a record $155 billion of their own money in 2001, up from $63 billion just four years earlier. And according to kids marketing expert James McNeal, children aged 12 and under influenced more than $500 billion of their parents' purchases in 2000."
More with tips for parents from the New American Dream.

Steve Kravit and Jacqueline express concerns in a Scribd paper
Shaping Society with a Lack of Shape: Media Representation and Body Image
"We are each exposed to over 2000 ads a day, constituting perhaps one of the most indirectly powerful educational forces in society relating to our self body image. It can be seen that advertisements ultimately sell a great deal more than products; they sell values, images, and concepts of success and worth
. . .
They in a sense tell us who we are and who we should strive to be. Men and women, teens, boys and girls—all segments of society tie identity to the way people look, to body size and shape, to clothes and even one’s hairstyle.

Therefore, the way we view our body and image can have a tremendous impact on the way we feel about ourselves. For most people, especially adolescents, body image is strongly influenced by mass media and advertising."
Read more on Media Representation and Body Image . . .

Further reading on this topic is the book Brand Name Bullies: The Quest to Own and Control Culture. It gives an impassioned, darkly amusing look at how corporations misuse copyright and trademark law to stifle creativity and free speech. More info and resources.

Life should not be about the phony materialistic images shoved in our faces. Satisfaction about who we are, about friends, families and the natural world around us is what we need to embrace.

Styles promote a competitive environment but friendship grows easier in a noncompetitive environment.

Short url to this page  goo.gl/ESQGp  
 

Simple Living Neighborhoods

A better family life environment.

What can be done to stop the frantic unfriendly, unfamily social storm that so many of our lives are centered in? Too much work, too many wants and stresses, and too little peace, pleasure and family time. The persuasions to live this way seem to dominate as pressures to acquire more are thrust at us daily. More people would live simpler and happier lives if others were doing so, if they would not stick out from the crowd. But it is difficult to resist purchases, for example, when families nearby are buying the latest branded products.

The social family neighborhood.
From an existing location imagine an emerging neighborhood that develops containing families with similar, uncomplicated, sensible lifestyles. With enough interest a small interactive group of like minded residents is formed. Interests would be such as outdoor evening and weekend play, pot-lucks, multi-family projects, TV guidelines, etc. Keeping up with or ahead of others would not be an issue here. As an internet group ideas could be freely exchanged and a set of suggested guidelines established.

Successfully started such a community would expand in size. By example, where you now see a landscaped and tidy neighborhood adjacent to a totally unkept neighborhood of the same era and original home values. New buyers are attracted to either neighborhood based values as well as on similar interests such as the landscaping and house appearance.

So imagine: Well kept home for sale. 'This is a simple living, family oriented social neighborhood.'

With a bit of research it turns out that there are a variety of well established communities with just those similar, sensible family lifestyles. However these appear to be pre-designed rather than evolving occurrences in spotty areas.

An intentional community is a planned residential community designed to have a much higher degree of teamwork than other communities. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision and are often part of the alternative society. They also share responsibilities and resources. Intentional communities include cohousing communities, residential land trusts, ecovillages, communes, survivalist retreats, kibbutzim, ashrams and housing cooperatives.

Types of communities
Some communities are secular; others have a spiritual basis. One common practice, particularly in spiritual communities, is eating communal meals. Commonly there is a focus on egalitarian values. Other themes are voluntary simplicity, interpersonal growth and self-reliance. Some communities provide services to disadvantaged populations, for example, war refugees, the homeless, or people with developmental disabilities. Some communities operate learning or health centers.
Read more at Wikipedia . . .

The Intentional Communities Website came online in 1994 and has information and resources needed to find, create, maintain and support intentional communities of all kinds. There is a wiki and a magazine.

Cohousing communities are old-fashioned neighborhoods created with a little ingenuity. They bring together the value of private homes with the benefits of more sustainable living. That means common facilities and good connections with neighbors. All in all, they stand as innovative answers to today's environmental and social problems
More on Cohousing "Building a better society, one neighborhood at a time." Articles, resources, and news.

The Community Page of Planetfriendly has a comprehensive introduction, overview and directory of links to a wide variety of ideas and projects that help create stronger, healthier community. They review a number of alternative and experimental forms of community, including ecovillages, cohousing, intentional community, cooperatives, related topics and links.

Related posts on simple living

Consumer Tips to Save Money

Owl Wise Tips for saving your money

It might be much easier than you think
to save a whole lot of the dough that
you have worked so hard for.

Consider that it will be for those things
that you value and that will make life
better for you, your family and friends.

So gather and keep some valuable tips.
Then take them on your shopping trips.

Consumer Action Website: For larger purchases be wary of fraud

• A deal that sounds too good to be true usually is! Be wary of promises to fix your credit problems, low-interest credit cards, deals that let you skip credit card payments, business/job opportunities, risk-free investments, and free travel.
• Extended warranties and service contracts are rarely worth what you pay for them.
• Say no to credit insurance offers. Often offered with credit cards, car loans and home mortgages, it is almost always better to purchase regular property, life or disability insurance.
• There is no universal three-day cooling-off period. Don't be misled into thinking that you have an automatic three days to cancel a purchase. Only a few types of contracts give you a right to cancel.
• Don't share personal information with someone you don't trust.
• Beware of payday and tax refund loans. Interest rates on these loans are usually excessive. Even a cash advance on a credit card could be a better option.
• Not all plastic cards offer the same protections. Your liability for the unauthorized use of a gift card and debit/ATM card may be much higher than the $50 maximum on your credit card.
• Real estate agents represent the seller – not the buyer. When buying, consider hiring an agent or lawyer who represents you.
• Home improvement and auto repairs are the subject of frequent complaints. Getting a second opinion can help prevent costly mistakes and enable you to make better decisions.
• Think twice before you rent-to-own. Interest rates on rent-to-own purchases can be very high. If you miss a payment, you could end up with nothing. Consider buying second-hand at a thrift shop or through ads in your local newspaper.
• Don't buy under stress. Avoid making big-ticket purchases during times of duress (e.g. coping with a death or debt).
• Be cautious of Buy Here, Pay Here lots. If you decide to buy a car from a used car lot, be sure to read all of the papers before you sign. Don't sign contracts that allow the dealership to change the finance rate AFTER you leave the lot.
• Work-at-home ads usually don't pay off. Be especially wary of ads that promise huge annual salaries; they often require expensive upfront fees with no guarantee. You risk losing your money and wasting a lot of time and energy.

Easy ways to save on every trip to the supermarket from Consumer Reports.
Think of supermarkets as giant selling machines, where traffic patterns, product placement, smells, displays, and signs lure you to spend more time cruising the aisles and more money at the checkout.
Example tip: Eye end caps. Some shoppers assume that products on aisle ends are on sale . . .
Read 13 Ways to Save at the Supermarket

Check out The Canadian Marketing Association's Smart Shopping Tips:
Tips for smart shopping by phone or mail.
Tips for smart shopping by television.
Tips for smart shopping from the Internet.

US Federal Citizen Information Center: Credit and charge card information.

Zen Habits: The Cheapskate Guide: 50 Tips for Frugal Living has lots of good ideas.

Affluenza: Consumed, consuming

Societies in the developed countries of the world today are continually engrossed with buying more goods and services. They have been strongly encouraged and pressured to do so for many years, so much so that there is never enough.

Autos have become prominent status symbols along with luxurious homes. Styles are an arena of social competition - buy to keep up with what's 'in' - or feel inferior.

We desire and acquire as much as we can afford, and often more. Much of this brings no personal achievement or lasting happiness and often is unnecessary, useless, and wasteful.

This all affects our lives badly as we stress to earn more money to buy more stuff. Our health and family life may take a back seat as we work to gain purchasing power.

And this delirium is not going away soon when BUY is before our eyes at our every turn in our daily lives.

We have affluenza.

From Wikipedia: Affluenza, n. a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.

Proponents of the term consider the costs of prizing material wealth vastly outweigh the benefits. They claim those who become wealthy will find the economic success leaving them unfulfilled and hungry for more wealth. The condition is considered particularly acute amongst those with inherited wealth, who are often said to experience guilt, lack of purpose and dissolute behavior, as well as obsession with holding on to the wealth (John Levy's Coping with Inherited Wealth)

British psychologist Oliver James asserts that there is a correlation between the increasing nature of affluenza and the resulting increase in material inequality: the more unequal a society, the greater the unhappiness of its citizens. Referring to Vance Packard's thesis (The Hidden Persuaders) on the manipulative methods used by the advertising industry, James relates the stimulation of artificial needs to the rise in affluenza. To highlight the spread of affluenza in societies with varied levels of inequality, James interviewed people in several cities including Sydney, Singapore, Moscow, Shanghai, Copenhagen and New York.
Read more about affluenza at Wikipedia.

"He who buys what he does not need steals from himself." - Unknown

Saving Money Such a Great Idea

Why would you want to save money? Why not go all out with your spending today, you may not be here tomorrow?

You will be here tomorrow and for many many days after. Days in which you can feel more secure and glad that you are less in debt or have a comfortable stash put away for that something special. There is also a benefit to the environment in not overbuying.

And you should even feel better today if you realize that money you didn't spend couldn't purchase any real happiness anyway.

Ideas and tips on saving and why it is such a great lifestyle way.

ZenHabits puts it this way in Tip #20: Find happiness in life, not spending.
Many times people buy stuff because they think (subconsciously perhaps) that it will bring them happiness. They just HAVE to have the latest gadget or shoes or cars. It’s so fun! And yet, you buy that stuff, and you’re only happy for a day or two at most. Then you just need to buy more. It’s a never-ending cycle. Instead, learn to love life. Find joy in nature! In the people around you! In doing something you love! In exercise and meditation! There’s so much in life to make us happy, there’s no need to find it in spending.
From: 20 Money Hacks: Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Finances.


And from bankrate.com in 9 best reasons to save money
Reason #9 It just plain feels good.
Most savers see the long-term rewards as worthwhile -- and not just financially. "The more you put away, the more you want to put away," D'Arruda says. "You start feeling good, and you get a better feeling of self-worth when you're saving."


Marc and Angel Hack Life's 18 Means for Living Below Your Means starts off with
Live a comfortable life, not a wasteful one. Do not spend to impress others. Do not live life trying to fool yourself into thinking wealth is measured in material objects. Manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you. Always live well below your means.

And Pecuniarities has a long list of tips: 101 Ways to Save Money in Everyday Life
Here we offer 101 suggestions for plugging expenditures in various aspects of your life - around the house, in your personal care, transportation, recreation and more.

A very simple sample budget. - MoneyInstructor.com

Get to it and enjoy living more.

Media-Advertising-Society

How different life and society would be today without the constant marketing drilled into us daily over the past several decades.

The pressure has been intense and most of us in the wealthier areas of the world have succumbed to becoming devoted over-consumers.

The system is so entrenched it will be very difficult to fix for the betterment of society.


An interesting series of articles by Anup Shah of Global Issues delves into the topic.

Media and Advertising - (This Page Last Updated Saturday, January 26, 2008)

Ever since mass media became mass media, companies have naturally used this means of communications to let a large number of people know about their products. There is nothing wrong with that, as it allows innovative ideas and concepts to be shared with others. However, as the years have progressed, the sophistication of advertising methods and techniques has advanced, enticing and shaping and even creating consumerism and needs where there has been none before, or turning luxuries into necessities. This section introduces some of the issues and concerns this raises.

Free media channels have a cost

Various free media such as the numerous channels available in America and other nations are naturally subsidized with advertising to help pay the costs.

As corporate competition has increased, so too has the need for returns on massive expenditures on advertising. Industries spend millions, even billions of dollars to win our hearts and minds, and to influence our choices towards their products and ideas. This often means such media outlets attract greater funds than those outlets funded through public funding or TV licenses. It can mean that such outlets can also then afford better programming of key events and programs.

The sheer amounts of money this brings to media companies is significant and in many cases the main form of support for the media company. Hence if something is reported that the advertiser doesn’t like, the media company risks losing much needed revenue to stay alive.

As a result, the mainstream media is largely driven by the forces of the market.

More sub-sections to this report
* Free media channels have a cost
* The Audience as the Product
* The Audience also as the Consumer
* Advertorials — Advertisements disguised as News!
* Advertainment — Advertisements disguised as Entertainment!
* Product Placement
* Political influence
* Military in Movies — Less Shock, More Awe
* Globalization of consumers

Read more on Media and Advertising by Anup Shah at Global Issues
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Simple Living Simplified

In this busy social environment persons and families are often stressed and missing some of the basic pleasures in life. There is just too much to do and without a practical plan confusion reigns. Reducing your 'needs' and consuming less is bound to result in more free time to enjoy the good things in life.

A simple schedule to handle various tasks is a good start in easing daily routines.

Leo Babauta offers:10 Things You Can Do Today to Simplify Your Life

Simplifying can sometimes be overwhelming. The amount of stuff you have in your life and the amount of things you have to do can be too big a mountain to tackle. But you don’t have to simplify it all at once. Do one thing at a time, and take small steps. You’ll get there, and have fun doing it.

1. Make a short list. Take out a sheet of paper and fold it into a small square, perhaps 3×5 inches. Or take out an index card. Now make a short list of the 4-5 most important things in your life. What’s most important to you? What do you value most? What 4-5 things do you most want to do in your life? Simplifying starts with these priorities, as you are trying to make room in your life so you have more time for these things.

2. Drop 1 commitment. Think about all the things in your life that you’re committed to doing, and try to find one that you dread doing. Something that takes up time but doesn’t give you much value. Perhaps you’re on a team, or coaching something, or on a board or committee, or whatever. Something that you do each day or week or month that you don’t really want to do. Now take action today to drop that commitment. Call someone, send an email, telling the appropriate person or people that you just don’t have the time. You will feel relief. I’d recommend dropping all commitments that don’t contribute to your short list (from Item #1), but for today, just drop 1 commitment.

3. Purge a drawer. Or a shelf, or a countertop, or a corner of a room. Not an entire room or even an entire closet. Just one small area. You can use that small area as your base of simplicity, and then expand from there. Here’s how to purge: 1) empty everything from the drawer or shelf or corner into a pile. 2) From this pile, pick out only the most important things, the stuff you use and love. 3) Get rid of the rest. Right now. Trash it, or put it in your car to give away or donate. 4) Put the stuff you love and use back, in a neat and orderly manner.

4. Set limits. Read Haiku Productivity for more. Basically, you set limits for things you do regularly: email, RSS posts, tasks, feeds, items in your life, etc. And try to stick with the limits. Today, all you have to do is set limits for a few things in your life. Tomorrow, try to stick with them.

5. Simplify your to-do list. Take a look at your to-do list. If it’s more than 10 items long, you can probably simplify it a bit. Try to find at least a few items that can be eliminated, delegated, automated, outsourced, or ignored. Shorten the list. This is a good habit to do once a week.

6. Free up time. Simplifying your life in general is a way to free up time to do the stuff you want to do. Unfortunately, it can be hard to find time to even think about how to simplify your life. If that’s the case, free up at least 30 minutes a day for thinking about simplifying. Or alternatively, free up a weekend and think about it then. How can you free up 30 minutes a day? Just a few ideas: wake earlier, watch less TV, eat lunch at your desk, take a walk for lunch, disconnect from the Internet, do email only once today, shut off your phones, do 1 less thing each day.

7. Clear your desk. I can personally attest to the amazing feeling that a clean desk can give you. It’s such a simple thing to do, and yet it does so much for you. If your desk is covered with papers and notes and gadgets and office supplies, you might not be able to get this done today. But here are the basic steps: 1) Clear everything off your desk and put it in a pile (either in your inbox or on the floor). 2) Process the pile from top to bottom, one item at a time. Do not defer decisions on any item — deal with them immediately and quickly. 3) For each item, either file it immediately, route it to someone else, trash it, or note it on your to-do list (and put it in an “action” folder). If it’s a gadget or office supply, find a place for it in your desk drawers (or get rid of it). 4) Repeat until your pile is empty and your desk is clear. Be sure to get rid of any knick knacks. Your desk should have your computer, your inbox, perhaps a notepad, and maybe a family photo (but not many). Ahh, a clear desk! 5) From now on, put everything in your inbox, and at least once a day, process it in the same way as above.

8. Clear out your email inbox. This has the same psychological effect as a clear desk. Is your email inbox always full of read and unread messages? That’s because you’re delaying decisions on your emails. If you have 50, let’s say, or fewer emails in your inbox, you can process them all today. If you have hundreds, you should put them in a temporary folder and get to them one chunk at a time (do 20 per day or something). Here’s how you process your inbox to empty — including emails already in your inbox, and all future incoming emails: 1) process them top to bottom, one at a time, deciding and disposing of each one immediately. 2) Your choices are to delete, archive, respond immediately (and archive or delete), forward (and archive or delete), or mark it with a star (or something like that) and note it on your to-do list to respond to later (and archive). 3) Process each email like that until the inbox is empty. 4) Each time you check your email, process to empty. Ahh, an empty inbox!

9. Move slower. We rush through the day, from one task to another, from one appointment to another, until we collapse on the couch, exhausted, at the end of the day. Instead, simplify your life by doing less (see Items 1, 4 and 5) and doing them more slowly. Eat slower, drive slower, walk slower, shower slower, work slower. Be more deliberate. Be present. This isn’t something you’re going to master today, but you can start practicing today.

10. Single-task. Instead of multi-tasking, do one thing at a time. Remove all distractions, resist any urge to check email or do some other habitual task like that while you’re doing the task at hand. Stick to that one task, until you’re done. It’ll make a huge difference in both your stress level and your productivity.


Zen Habits is a popular blog that covers living, goals, health, parenting, happiness and more.

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