Sometimes, I like to do things the old way.

I take a walk, read books, meditate, and just look around and do nothing.

Perhaps, you like that too. And that’s why, we need to constantly remind ourself of the beauty of the simple times, that most of us seem to have forgotten.

As each day passes, our life gets more and more complicated.

There’s so much technology surrounding us that it becomes difficult to separate the important things in our life from the trivial ones.

Thanks to technology, and the 24 x 7 access to everything, we have so many ways to spend our time today, doing one thing or another. And because of that, our life has become so complicated that we no longer enjoy the simple things in life.

If you, too, agree with this, then perhaps you should think of taking a break from this modern lifestyle, and spend some time just as you did in the old days, doing things in a simple and natural way.

So, what can be some of these things, that you can change today?

Let’s start with the most common ones.

Instead of surfing the internet all day, you can spend it on reading a real book; instead of hiring a cab for short distances, just go by walk; instead of going to the mall and shopping aimlessly, spend a few hours sitting in a quiet garden.

Those are just few ways to simplify your life. You are free to come up with your own ways.

In our never ending quest to consume more and more stuff, we’ve forgotten to enjoy the beauty of simple things in our life; the most beautiful of which is the beauty of nature.

Nature has abundance of joy and peace for you, which it’s always ready to share with you; you just need to discover them.

Just try to live a day in complete sync with nature. Go to sleep early at night; wake up early in the morning; go for a morning walk; enjoy a cup of tea as you see the sunrise; look at the birds in the morning, who are ready to begin the day with new hopes and dreams; see the greenery around you and the trees swaying in the wind.

What more is there to ask for?

There is everything right in that moment to give you joy and peace.

But the chaos of the modern life makes you forget these beautiful sights, which occur every day right before you when you are busy doing other things.

Enjoy the beauty of nature while you still have time.

Now, let’s try to go back in time and see what other benefits we had in the olden times, which we lack today.

In earlier times, no one read books and articles on productivity because you were busy doing your work, and automatically being productive. No one cared about being available 24 x 7 for everyone, because you had to reserve some precious time for your family too. You shared your thoughts and feelings with your family and close friends, and not with every single person you have ever met in your life.

The work ended when you left the office, unlike today when you carry your work all the time by using your cell-phones or laptops.

There were limitations on everything, but a good thing about those limitations was that they had big benefits in the long run. You could only work for a limited time. You could only play for a limited time. You switched off things and went to sleep; not let them stay beside you at night – like we do now with our cell-phones and computers.

When you have less things to do, you also have less things to worry about. When you have few options to choose from, you put less strain on your brain. And when you have nothing to do, you have more time to meditate and be happy.

One major thing that distinguishes the simpler times from today’s modern times is technology.

The way we do all our activities today has changed because the technology used to do them has changed – right from the way we watch movies, listen to songs, consume information to the way we do our work, interact with others, and spend our free time.

So a simple way to go back in time is to just reduce how much technology you use in your daily life. Simply cutting down your smartphone or tv usage could do wonders for your life. Using your computer more for work, and less as an entertainment machine could do wonders for your career.

This is not to say that I don’t like technology; I make my living using it. I appreciate its usefulness when it helps me live a better life, and makes my work easier. But I don’t let that come at the cost of affecting my health or wasting my time. When you use technology with a specific purpose, it’s a fantastic tool; use it without a purpose, and you may end up wasting a good part of your daily life.

When life was simple, you had more enriching and satisfying experiences. There were no calls, nor any messages when you watched movies in theaters. There were no notifications or pop-ups when you sat down to write. You went to nature-rich locations to relax and enjoy the scenery, not to take hundreds of pictures and share them on facebook and then wait anxiously for your friends’ likes and comments.

People who live a simple life are happier than those who don’t. They need less, yet feel more satisfied; they consume less, yet enjoy more; they do fewer things, but they produce quality work; they feel less stress, and stay mentally fit; they can spend time on important things, yet find enough time to meditate in peace.

And the best thing is, you can go back to these simpler times right now if you want. All you need to do is switch off your cell phones and computers, let go everything that’s running in your mind, and pick up one simple thing to do, and then immerse yourself totally in it.

And as for me, I find so much joy in simplicity, that I look forward to any opportunity that helps me go back to simpler times, even if it’s just for a while.

I hope I am not the only one to do so.

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