Emeka Nweze
The saying “less is more” couldn’t have been more accurate nowadays. Today’s problems seem to be the meaning we assign to our possessions. We tend to give too much importance to material things, often forsaking our health, our relationships, our passions, our personal growth, and our desire to contribute to the society.
Minimalism is a lifestyle that aims to help you get more out of life by prioritising things that genuinely matter in your life. Minimalism will change the way your look at the world as well as the value you place on physical properties.
That not to say you cannot own a car, a house, a family or gadgets, but do those things if they are important to you. The less you have, the less you have to worry about and the better your life will be.
More people are beginning to adopt the minimalist lifestyle, so here is a list of 9 reasons why you should give minimalism a go.
1. Freedom
Minimalism won’t turn you into a robot that is programmed to act in a particular way. On the contrary, the less you have, the more freedom you have to move, explore and try other things. We are always afraid of losing our possessions, minimalism will free your mind from such worries,of greed, obsession and debt. You will not be tied down to any place or person by possessions.
2. Create room for what’s important
Everyone is always complaining about limited time, but how many people really stop to think about what they are spending their time doing? Instead of shopping sprees, You could be enjoying a day with your kids, hitting up the gym, reading a good book, traveling or being productive . Create the room to fill up our lives with meaning, and 24 hours will be enough.
3. Saves Money
When you make the commitment to buy and own less, you will begin to develop the ability to curtail impulses to purchase new clothes, gadgets or paintings that you don’t need, thereby saving money for what you actually need.
4. Saves time
The less you own, the less time you spend worrying about clutter. Your home will be easy to clean up, everything has its place, and finding things won’t take all the time in the world. That saved time can be used for more productive activities.
5. Aesthetically pleasing
A home that is clean, well organised and free from unnecessary junk is more pleasing to the eyes than that which is packed with belongings you don’t even have need for. Minimalist homes are the most beautiful because they get the most out of small spaces, only putting what is needed, leaving minimal room for congestion
6. More peace of mind
By simplifying your life you can lose your attachment to material things and ultimately create a calm and a peaceful mind. The less things you have to worry about, the more peace you have, and it’s that simple.
7. Less stress
Living in Nigeria is stressful enough. We go through stress at work, in traffic , at the bus-stops, at the ATM queues etc, so imagine a world where after the day’s stress you didn’t have to come home to a cluttered house, you walk into your home and everything in place and the environment is serene. Your home becomes your place of true solace.
8. Healthy life
High blood pressure, heart attacks, anxiety, insomnia etc, are all damaging health effects caused by stress. Minimalism helps you curb stress by leaving you with less to worry about, thereby ensuring stronger and healthier life.
9. More happiness
Happiness naturally comes when you live a welter free life, because you have little to worry about. This pushes you towards the things that matter most. You become more efficient, and focused on things that add value to your life such as family, relationships and goals.
