The Simple Reasons For Being Minimalist

peaceWriting and photography by Everett Bogue | Follow me on Twitter

Being minimalist is about having an honest relationship with your life.

Every action is balanced and effective. Every possession is used with appreciation and regularity. Every thought is worth thinking. Every person is an honor to know.

This is the best approach, that I can think of, to being a better person.

By simplifying your daily approach to everything, you can free up space to explore an uncomplicate the world.





Minimalist Focus: How to Stop Multitasking and Get Work Done

thelongroadWriting and Photography by Everett Bogue | Follow me on Twitter

Hey blogaudience! I’ve got a lot of work to do this week.

As I’m writing blog post for you to read, I’m also doing these things:

  • Creating a brilliant logo for a creative company in California
  • Creating a stunning website for a creative company in California
  • Finishing production on a website for an artist in New York
  • Writing 15 short informative stories for a web publisher
  • Drinking a coffee
  • Checking my Twitter
  • Checking my email
  • Doing dishes
  • Doing laundry
  • Thinking about what to eat for lunch
  • Trying to sell my bike

Whew, that’s a lot of work that I’ve got to do, and most of it involves a hard-to-harness skill called ‘Creativity’.

The problem is that for the last three hours I’ve been trying to do all of this stuff at the same time. I’m getting somewhere, but I’m not seeing the results that I need to see in order to get all of these projects to done in an acceptable amount of time.

It’s a well known fact that multitasking is a productivity killer. Minimalists try not to multitask, because by doing so we’re wasting time that we could be enjoying our lives.

So why am I engaging in the ultimate productivity sin?

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100 Things: Buy Less Things, Have Less Impact, and be Free.

The things on the lower half of my body.

The things on the lower half of my body.

Writing and Photography by Everett Bogue | Follow me on Twitter

Far Beyond The Stars subscriber Jeff Morris just sent me an email wondering if I had completed the 100 things challenge. I have indeed! I figured now was a good a time as any to whip up a quick list of my possessions.

The history and reason behind of 100 things.

100 Things is a challenge originally issued by David Michael Bruno. The idea behind it is that human beings only need 100 things to survive, but most of us have way more than that. By restricting ourselves to 100 things, we’re creating less waste, we’re more flexible in how and where we live. It’s a win-win situation! One of the more famous bloggers who has 100 things is Leo Babauta.

I mentioned in my 100 Minimalist Ideas article that I had 79 things. I was wrong, I have 97 things!

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10 Simple Ways to Eliminate Anxiety in an Uncertain World

rainfallWriting and Photography by Everett Bogue | Follow me on Twitter

Let’s face it, the world can be terrifying. Do you know what you’re going to be doing next month, six months from now, or even a year? At the moment I certainly don’t.

I’m moving around, without a base of operations, freelancing out of coffee shops for clients that I’ve never met. Some days I get a little bit anxious. I wonder if I’ll ever see enough money to pay for my train ticket that I put on the Discover Card to Chicago. I wonder if I’ll ever eat again. I wonder if the sky will fall, and if I’ll be run over by a bus, or maybe I’ll never find happiness or success. Oh my god, panic!

And then I think of these 10 simple ways that I can calm myself and bring my confused mind back to reality. I remember that I am responsible for saving myself from this situation, and that I’m the one who that put me here anyway.

Anxiety is largely a construction in our minds. It’s a self-preservation instinct left over from when lions were lurking around the next bush and we didn’t want to be eaten. No one is going to eat you, in actuality, the world is pretty damn safe in most places.

The other horrifying truth is that anxiety can prevent us from achieving our goals. Have you ever stayed home, not returned a call, or even sent an email because you got scared? I know I have.

This supposed self-defense reflex is really costing us something: opportunities.

It’s time to get this anxiety under control, people!

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How to Begin Engaging in Post-Geographical Society

flying

Writing and photography by Everett Bogue | Follow me on Twitter

Phil, a dedicated FBTS reader, had an interesting question in the comments last week. I’m re-posting it here:

“One question that does intrigue me, as I have dreamed of following this Really Minimalist lifestyle for quite some time. With having so little, and moving around a lot, how do your friends and family know where you are? I suppose having a minimal of monthly bills means you do it all online, but how do you get mail, or do you? How will anyone rent to you without solid long term histories? has your credit been affected? I guess along those lines, does it matter? Without a Base of Operations, how do your customers get billed? Ok, these are way more than one question.” – Phil Huffstatler

I’ve been dropping a lot of clues about how much I’ve been moving around lately –I flew from New York to Portland OR in September, I’m leaving Portland for Chicago in a week, and then I intend to return to New York for a few weeks, at which point I’ll be going somewhere else.

I’m able to do this with very little money, because I live such a minimalist lifestyle. If I was moving more than I can carry on my back then I wouldn’t be able to support this life.

Here are the gritty details on how I’ve been traveling, in the interest of complete transparency:

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