Coaching Illness and Minimalism

Feelings of being overwhelmed are easy to come by once you start feeling unwell. Daily responsibilities fall by the wayside in exchange for self-care and before long, it becomes overwhelming to cope. Has it ever felt to you as if your life was coming apart at the seams? You have never experienced so much physical pain. You feel constantly tired. You barely have the strength or energy to get out of bed. And yet there are responsibilities and obligations you still need to take care of. How do you cope?

This summarises what many feel at the lowest point of their illness. So many tasks, such little energy. Worse still, time out of work can leave many of us who experience a major illness behind the financial eight ball. Combine that with a reduction in mental clarity caused by certain medications and what once felt part of the flow can become immensely overwhelming.

For Keith and I, we had double diagnoses to contend with. The energy was scarce. Add in two young children and well, responsibilities were high. Without a tight support unit, we were in a sink or swim position. We needed clarity and to lighten our load as much as possible to survive and fight another day. I attribute much of this to simplifying our life by living minimally.

Often used synonymously with Simple Living, minimalism is a lifestyle based on avoiding excess and living with less. The lifestyle emphasises simplicity and prioritising quality over quantity. I would recommend this as an option to at least know about, for anyone whose life has been overwhelmed by illness.

8 Benefits to Owning Less

Minimalistic living is most associated with owning fewer possessions. This is not the same thing as owning nothing at all, but rather owning only what you need and can manage. This may sound easier said than done. Many of us have fallen into a lifetime of consumerism which is difficult to break out of.  Purging belongings require a level of energy not always available to those with physical illness. However, I recommend the following small steps:

Identify What You Need to Buy

This involves creating a strict spending budget and sticking with it. Consider any financial restrictions you may be experiencing. Identify what you are living off now. Make a shortlist of essentials and shop for less.

Identify What You Keep

If there is anything you cannot picture living without then keep it. If you have not been wearing or using it for many months, then it can probably be purged. This may include clothes, ornaments, books, furniture, or kitchen utensils. If something has a strong sentimental value for you, then keep it. The same is also true regarding items which you may require on a special occasion down the road.

Transition Sensibly

As mentioned above, your energy may be very limited, however, there are some sensible approaches you can adopt which help you purge belongings in a manageable way. These include packing belongings into a sack for five minutes a day or donating one item each day. You can also see if a close family or friend will help you

Living this way can have the following 8 benefits for those who are trying to cope with a chronic medical condition.

1. Saving Money

Not only does this mean that you save money from buying less, but you are also likely to avoid various charges associated with fixing or maintaining certain possessions

2. Less Pressure to Get Back to Work

If you can scale back on the costs associated with owning more, it will mean you can afford to have less income and possibly not have to rush back to work prematurely.

3. Less to Do

Many items can need cleaning, fixing, or moving. Having less to maintain will shrink your to-do list and make you less busy.

4. Less Stress and Anxiety

Having fewer items to look after and less urgency to earn money will lead to a reduction in stress and anxiety. Purchasing less can make you feel more financially secure, which will also be good for your relaxation levels.

5. Opportunity to Rest

If you are not preoccupied with purchasing or managing clutter, you will have more time to rest, recuperate and self-care. For you right now, this can be vital.

6. More Energy

Having possessions to manage takes energy. If you do not have to worry about them, then you will have more energy to spare. This will be compounded by you not having to rush back to work and having the option of additional self-care time.

7. Greater Clarity

If you are not overwhelmed from having to manage too many things, you are less likely to be distracted and more able to think clearly.

8. Focus on Health

Purging your life of what is less important, will enable you to clarify what is most important. In this instance, this will be your health.