The Less Experiment List

Here are some wonderful ways to participate in The Less Experiment. We all love a good list. And we have two for you!

FIRST: Join The Less Experiment Squad

First of all, if you haven’t yet, come meet the others at The Less Experiment Facebook Group. Experiments, like most journeys, are more fun with friends!

Some Cool Places To Do Less

No one is asking you to be a lazy and irresponsible employee/spouse/parent/caregiver. What we are suggesting is that you take a deep breath and think of all the cluttery puttery doing that your doing with your precious time and look for opportunities to be still.

1. Go to bed one hour earlier than usual.
2. Sign up for a meal delivery service.
3. Hire someone to clean your house.
4. Automate all your bills online.
5. Spend 15 minutes to an hour every day sitting in silence in a designated haven space.
6. Watch Netflix to unwind after a long day.
7. Say NO 10% more of the time.
8. Say NO to any activities that do not fall within your tip five priorities in life.
9. Make time to spend in a place in nature makes you feel small – star gazing, watching the ocean, watching the sunset.
10. Spend at least one entire day in bed every month/quarter.
11. Listen to/read a book for pure joy rather than learning.
12. Take a bath once a week instead of the routine shower.
13. Come off all social media for a month.
14. Set appointments in your calendar for relaxation that you treat just as seriously as work meetings.
15. Get a massage/mani-pedi/facial once a month.
16. Choose music over the news on the car radio.
17. Have a full on crazy sounding conversation with your pets about life and look for lessons from them on how to do nothing.
18. Light a candle and watch the flame, imagining every single thought that comes up being burned away by it.
19. Listen to yoga-nidra on youtube or on an app.
20. Lay out on a towel on the beach and don’t move until you feel better.

Some Fun Ways To Process

So yes, we are trying to not do do do go go go rush rush rush. What can we put in the space as structures to support this journey without turning the structures into weapons we use against ourselves to do do do go go go and rush rush rush? How can we make sure that the time that we are freeing up doesn’t disappear into the black hole of a Netflix marathon or TikTok binge? The point is to be still and process. For the processing piece, here are some ideas to try on, see if they fit easily and don’t feel like effort, and move forward. If it feels like work, it’s not for you.

1. Journal. Y’all know I love a good journaling sesh. This is for people like me who are more on the nerdy side of the spectrum. If journaling feels like work, this is not your thing.
2. Coaching. Obviously this is a structure ideal for this type of practice. Wellbeing is a coach’s jam, and we would be more than happy to support the intention of this experiment.
3. Therapy. Get the emotions moving with the support of someone who knows how to unlock what you’re operating over.
4. Groups. Hang out with likeminded people who are on the same journey. Talk things out with them. This can be virtual or in person (COVID rules permitting).
5. Yoga. In a studio or with an app, yoga supports the movement of the emotions out of the body. It’s been a shortcut to my trauma-processing nightmares that involves mind, body and spirit.
6. Meditate. If you don’t know how, find a teacher (woohoo over here!) and learn how.
7. Spiritual practice/devotion. This will look different for each person. A prayer ritual, an altar, incense burning, or tea ceremony – you choose your thing and have it shore you up in the stillness.
8. No structure. Perhaps the enemy of your peace is actually structure, because you structure the fun out of everything naturally. If this is you, go the anti-structure route and see what happens. This might be the scariest thing for you. If so, it’s likely to be the best.

We can’t wait to hear how its going for you! So please feel free to leave a comment or let us know what’s up in the Facebook Group.