The complexities of life often leave us physically and mentally exhausted. Whether it’s daily chores, complicated social interactions, or the burdens we carry within, they can all trigger anxiety and unease. In the pursuit of more and more goals, emotions, and relationships, we may unknowingly add weight to our lives, intensifying our inner drain. So how can we break free from this cycle and face life’s challenges with ease? The answer may lie in simplifying everything.

Streamline Your Goals: Let Go of Excess Pursuits

In today’s world, information is overwhelming, and temptations are everywhere. We often get lost in a sea of goals—wanting to do this, achieve that—only to fall into the trap of multitasking. The result is a lingering sense that nothing we do is good enough, leaving us mentally drained.

I once found myself trapped in this same dilemma. I had countless ambitions—wanting to make breakthroughs in the health industry while also achieving something in education. The outcome? My energy was scattered, and I was exhausted. It wasn’t until I realized that simplifying my goals was the only way to truly focus and devote my limited time and energy to what mattered most.

Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, the founder of positive psychology, wrote in Flow that when we focus on one thing, our sense of happiness naturally increases, and our inner drain decreases. Learning to prioritize and focus on what truly matters is the key to living more lightly.

Streamline Your Emotions: Steer Clear of Unnecessary Anxiety

In everyday life, our emotions are often swayed by external pressures and environments. “Emotional labor,” a concept proposed by American sociologist Arlie Hochschild, reveals that in social interactions, we expend not just physical and mental energy but also emotional energy—leading to anxiety and irritability. When we are consumed by our emotions, our mind and body burn through energy, leaving us exhausted.

I once knew someone who was in a constant state of anxiety. When a colleague got promoted, he felt anxious; when a friend bought a house or car, he began doubting himself. This emotional drain left him exhausted, lowered his work efficiency, and even harmed his health. Only when he adjusted his mindset, focused on what he already had, and let go of needless comparisons and anxieties did his condition improve.

Streamlining emotions means learning to let go of useless worries and anxieties. Philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti wrote in The Book of Life that our emotions are the product of both external stimuli and our internal thoughts. If we can learn to observe our emotions from a third-person perspective, we can avoid letting them control our lives. Meditation is an excellent method for this—it helps enhance self-awareness, thereby reducing the impact of emotions on our daily life.

Streamline Your Relationships: Distance Yourself from Ineffective Socializing

The complexity of modern social circles can often leave us feeling overwhelmed. With the rise of social media, we seem to have an endless stream of contacts and messages, responding daily to all sorts of trivial social demands. But these ineffective relationships actually drain huge amounts of our energy and emotions.

At the peak of his career, French painter Paul Cézanne left the lively streets of Paris for the quiet countryside, distancing himself from tangled social demands. He believed solitude was the key to maintaining inner peace and concentration.Similarly, writer Can Xue has maintained an independent state of mind by refusing to conform to any social circle. Simplifying our social life is not an act of avoidance—it’s a way to protect our inner world and find strength in stillness.

In our own social circles, do we have relationships that serve no real purpose? Are we tied up in endless group chats and messages? These trivial social connections breed anxiety and drain vast amounts of our time and energy. We don’t need to maintain every relationship or attend every gathering. By streamlining our social life, we can devote more time and energy to truly valuable relationships and personal growth.

Streamline Your Material Possessions: Lighten Your External Burden

The more we chase material things, the more elusive satisfaction becomes.Once we own something, it becomes a burden—cars require maintenance, luxury items need care, and possessions bring a host of worries.

Chuck Feeney, founder of Duty Free Shoppers Group, is a well-known practitioner of minimalist living.Though a billionaire, he chose a simple life, keeping only what he needed and wanting little. This simplified lifestyle freed him from material constraints, granting him greater freedom and peace.

Reducing material possessions can free us from the control of the outside world and create more room in our hearts. Only when we lessen our attachment to material pursuits can we truly experience inner richness and freedom.