Tim Kasser , a professor of psychology at Knox College in Illinois, says in his book The High Price of Materialism ( The high price of materialism ), our pace of life and materialistic culture in which we live are making us unhappy.

Already the writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in The Little Prince wrote: “the essential is invisible to the eyes” and, in fact, there is scientific evidence that seems to prove it. A study conducted in 2005 and published in the American Psychological Association suggests that people who have few material goods and simple lives feel more satisfaction with their lives.

With this we do not want to tell you that you must leave your home, sell all your belongings and go to live with an African tribe, but we can learn from them to make our lives happier .

1. Dedicate Time to What you Want.

Of course, we all have responsibilities that we can not avoid. But between work, study and homework we sometimes forget the most important thing: ourselves. So if you want to start simplifying your life you can start by making a small space in your day for you. It does not matter if it’s sitting on the sofa watching a series or going for a run, we all need a time of enjoyment to revitalise the mind and forget responsibilities even for a moment.

2. Less Things

You may be very happy with your new dress, but that feeling will not last long. On the contrary, experts recommend using money in experiences , since they last longer in memory.

3. Follow the Pareto Principle

The Italian sociologist and economist Vilfredo Pareto claimed that 80% of the results came from 20% of the effort. That is to say that in order to achieve the objectives you propose, it is better to prioritise the most important 20% and stop worrying about the small things that, in the long term, may not affect us as much.

If you can focus your energy on what really matters and put aside things that are not so priority, you will make your life easier and you will also be able to achieve your goals without sacrificing more.

4. One Task at a Time

We have so much to do that we try to do everything at once. This means more stress for us and prevents us from dedicating the attention and the work that each task needs so that it goes well.

5. Disconnect Yourself

Our cell phones became appendages of our being. Everywhere we go, they go with us and offer us a permanent reminder of the mails that await us in the office, of the tasks to be done and the commitments of the day. With them next door it is very difficult to relax completely. Therefore, we recommend that you take a break from your cell phone or computer for a day.

Simplifying your life can be very simple and very beneficial for your health. To achieve this, you do not have to leave your lifestyle and move to a happy community: you can do so by leaving superficial concerns aside and concentrating on the essentials.