Practice the simple: 7 tips to lead a less complicated life –

1. Focus on the present

It has been proven that doing several things at the same time is not synonymous with competence or results. Try to focus on what’s currently being accomplished, whether you’re working, cooking, or playing with the kids. Only by staying focused can you capture your own emotions, understand and influence the world around you, and really pay attention to those around you.

2. Log out

“Having off moments throughout the day is key to connecting with yourself”, suggests cognitive therapist and nutritionist Mariela Silveira, from Kurotel Centro Médico de Longevidade e Spa, in Rio Grande do Sul. Leave your smartphone and tablet inside your bag, in another room and don’t even think about taking it to the gym – that way, you can relax after a day at work, work out with focus and enjoy dinner with your friends.

“It seems little, but the expectation for the ringing or message alert generates anxiety and takes you out of the present moment”, says the doctor. She explains that each Whatsapp call alert or like on a photo, for example, releases a dopamine discharge, a substance that promotes immediate pleasure. Depending on that quick payoffwe stop enjoying the now and experiencing other pleasures.

3. Give yourself time

“Good ideas and decisions rarely come when we are looking for them in the middle of our accelerated routine”, says British writer Carl Honoré, defender of the Slow movement, which preaches deceleration as the path to a fuller and more pleasurable life. “They come when we are playing a sport, swinging in a hammock or soaking in a bubble bath. When we are calm, without rush or stress, the brain enters a more efficient way of thinking”, he adds.

4. Prepare your food

When cooking, you know exactly what you are eating and you can control the dose of salt and fat, in addition to serving size. This makes a difference on the scale, as shown by a study by Temple University, in Pennsylvania (USA), which followed 12,000 people for four years. The result revealed that those who ate at a restaurant three to six times a week had a higher body mass index than those who made their own meals or ate out a maximum of twice a week.

5. Enjoy your relationships

Technology has weakened the bonds between people. It’s okay that we can keep in constant contact and meet people we haven’t seen for a long time, but relationships have never been so superficial. Invest in the ones you love, whether it’s eating more family meals, remembering to call your friend often, or talking more with your boyfriend. Solid bonds make us emotionally strong and prepared for life.

6. Think Before You Buy

And not just about needing another black bag or other sneakers to work out with. But also about the relationship between price and quality. What’s worth more: a cheap blouse, the kind you know will wear out after a few washes, or a more expensive one, but that matches several wardrobe pieces and even after years is in one piece and always leaves the look tidy? Remember that the moment calls for reflection and conscious consumption.

7. Meditate

Practice facilitates all the previous suggestions, as it calms down, helps to put ideas and emotions in order and has an impact on health. Several studies have already associated meditation reducing blood pressure, anxiety, stress and insomnia, controlling depression and pain and improving immunity. Want to start? Find a quiet place, close your eyes, calm your breathing and let your thoughts go without holding on to them.