Our days fill up so fast, and are so rushed and filled with distractions, that they seem to be bursting. It’s a huge source of stress for most people, and stress is perhaps the most important factor determining whether we’re healthy or sick.
現(xiàn)代生活節(jié)奏快速，到處充斥著各類信息，仿佛一觸即發(fā)。這給許多人造成壓力，而壓力又是影響人體健康的關鍵因素。

So how can we simplify our days? It’s not incredibly hard, but I’ve found it’s best done in steps.
那么，我們該怎樣簡單生活呢？其實并沒有想象的那么難，只不過需要我們一步一步去做罷了。

These are the steps I followed, though of course calling them “rules” means we should test them and break them as needed. No rules should be followed blindly. I’ve found these to work really well, though. These are the rules I suggest:
下面是我采用的幾條規(guī)則。當然，既稱為“規(guī)則”，就表示它們有待檢驗并作必要修正；畢竟人不可盲從規(guī)則。不過，我覺得這些規(guī)則還挺管用。以下是我建議的規(guī)則：

1. Know What’s Important.
明確重點。

The simple version of simplifying is “Identify what’s important, and eliminate the rest.” So take time to identify the most important things in your life (4-5 things), and then see what activities, tasks, projects, meeting and commitments fit in with that list. Also take time each day to identify 1-3 Most Important Tasks (MITs), at the beginning of your day. Or the night before, for the next day.
化繁為簡的捷徑就是“明確重點、摒棄閑雜”。所以，請用心想想自己生活中最重要的事情（4-5件），然后查看各類活動、任務、項目、會議或約束是否跟重點相關。另外，每天早上列出當天最重要的1-3件任務，或晚上訂好第二天的計劃。

2. Visualize Your Perfect Day.
想象完美一天。

This is not so much because this “perfect day” will come true, as it is to understand what a simple day means to you. It’s different for each person — for me, it might mean some meditation and writing and spending time with my wife and kids. For others, it’s yoga and painting and a hot bath. For others, it’s time to focus on the important work, but still get other things done later in the day. Take a minute to visualize what it means to you.
這并不是說想象就能得到完美的一天，而是希望你能體會簡單生活的意義。具體視個人而異。對我來說，完美一天就是冥想、寫作、與妻兒共享歡樂時光。對其他人而言，可能是瑜伽、畫畫、泡熱水澡。當然，其他事情當天也要處理好。請用心想想你所期望的完美一天是什么樣的吧！

3. Say No to Extra Commitments.
拒絕額外約束。

Now that you’ve identified what’s important, along with the “perfect day”, you need to start saying “No” to things that aren’t on your important list, and that are standing in the way of the perfect day. The biggest thing you can say No to is a commitment — membership on a committee, involvement in a project, coaching or participating in a team, going to an event, being a partner in a business, etc. List and evaluate your commitments (professional, civic and personal), and say No to at least one. It just takes a call or email.
既然已經明確重點、知道期望的“完美一天”，那就得掃除那些非重點、非“完美一天”內的事情。其中，首當其沖的就是“約束”——某會團的會員關系、項目投入、團隊教練或團員、參加活動、商業(yè)合作伙伴等等，都要列出來，仔細排查這些或職業(yè)或社交或私人的“約束”，然后打電話或發(fā)短信取消至少一項活動。

4. Limit Tasks.
限定任務。

Each morning, list your 1-3 most important tasks. List other tasks you’d like to do. Say no to some of them. See if you can limit your list to 5-7 tasks per day (not counting little things, which you’ll batch). Limiting your tasks helps you focus, and acknowledges you’re not going to get everything done in one day.
每天早上列出1-3個最重要的任務，然后寫下想做的其他事，試著加以篩選，看能否把每天的任務精簡到5-7個（分批就能搞定的瑣事不算）。限定任務有助于集中精力，畢竟人不可能一天就搞定所有事情。

5. Carve Out Un-distraction Time.
騰出不受干擾的時間。

When are you going to do your most important work? Schedule it with a block of time (1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, whatever works for you). Make this your most sacred appointment. Become incommunicado. Close the Internet, all notifications, hold all calls. Just do the most important task, then the next one if you have time.
你準備什么時候做最重要的事呢？趕快騰出一段時間（1小時、2小時、4小時都行），集中搞定最重要的任務吧。此時此刻，你必須完全獨處，關掉網絡、屏蔽信息、斷開來電，一門心思撲到最重要的任務上，然后再視情況處理下個任務。

6. Slow Down.
放慢節(jié)奏。

We rush through our days, almost in a single frenetic anxiety-filled non-stop movement. Instead, slow down. Life won’t collapse if you aren’t rushing from task to task, email to email. You can pause, take a moment to reflect, smile, enjoy the current task before moving on.
我們終日忙忙碌碌，幾乎一直都緊繃著弦馬不停蹄做事。其實，我們應該學會放慢節(jié)奏。如果你不再匆忙趕任務查郵件，一切也不至于天下大亂。所以，何不暫停下來，花上片刻時間反省、微笑并慢慢做好當下的任務呢。

7. Mindfully Single-task.
一次只專心做一件事。

Stop multi-tasking. One task at a time, with full focus on that task. Practice mindfulness as you do the task — it’s a form of meditation. Watch your thoughts wander to what you need to do later, but then return to the task at hand. Your day will be much simpler, and much more enjoyable, when you practice being present with your current task.
別再一心多用了。試著一次只專心做一件事。請在做事時努力保持專注——這也是冥想的一種形式。請注意自己的思緒是否溜到其他事情上，然后趕緊把它拉回來。如果你真的掌握了“一次只專心做一件事”，生活肯定會更簡單更開心！

8. Batch Smaller Tasks, Then Let go.
迅速批量處理瑣事。

Email, paperwork, little things at the bottom of your task list (create a “small tasks” section at the bottom), minor phone calls, etc. … these shouldn’t get in the way of your important tasks. But they still need to be done sometime (unless you can let them go, which is best whenever possible). If you need to do them, batch them and do them in one go. It’s best to do these later in the day, when your energy is lower and you’ve done the important tasks for the day. Don’t let the small tasks get in the way of the big ones. When you’ve done a batch of small tasks (including processing email), let them go, and get out. You don’t want to do this all day, or even half a day.
像郵件、文案、幾個不甚重要的電話等任務清單上最后的瑣事，都不該妨礙重大任務。但如果這些瑣事不可避免，總還得花時間去做。建議把這些事放在一天的最后去處理，那時你已完成重要任務，精力也不那么充沛，可以趕快批量搞定這些瑣事；如果拖上半天甚至一天就很煩人了。

9. Create Space Between.
留有間歇。

We cram our tasks and meetings together, and leave no spaces between them. The space between things is just as important as the things themselves. Leave a little space between meetings, even tasks. Take a break to stretch, walk around, get a glass of water, perhaps do some simple breathing meditation for a minute or two. Enjoy the space.
我們往往任務擠任務、會議接會議，都沒有喘氣的機會。其實，休息間歇也很重要。試著在會議或任務之間稍作調息，伸展胳膊、四處走走、喝杯水或做幾分鐘冥想，享受一下間歇時光吧。