Real Life Minimalists: Liddy

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.

Today, Liddy tells us how moving to a small village in France has inspired her family to pursue a simpler, more serene lifestyle.

Liddy writes:

My Simple But Productive Life

We are an Australian/Belgian family recently relocated to a sleepy fishing village in France via Italy and England. We are living in a holiday house long term that is fully furnished and so all of our things are in permanent storage. I am a lawyer by profession but have returned to study as I can’t practise in France without converting my degree. We are raising a beautiful boy who has Autism and ADHD, profound vision impairment among other challenges and his little brother aged 6.

The very nature of this beautiful village, the (much slower) pace of life, the chance to start again, for me not to work fulltime, to revisit a past interest in Buddhism and the fact all of our earthly possessions are 1000km away made me rethink our entire lives. Here goes….

First, I worked out our challenges – getting enough sleep with the kids through the night. Getting up (rather than waking up) early only means the eldest child wakes up earlier too. Finding the time for things I really can only do when alone – most work, sleep, yoga, reading.

THEN… identified the things that are really important to me and how to fit them all in. I basically do nothing other than these things anymore and life is very peaceful (most of the time!).

Spending quality time with the boys

1. Pick a time for each child that suits them the best to spend alone time with – eg for the eldest it is often early in the morning before his little brother has woken up, in the afternoon while little one is at school or in the evening after he is in bed.

Walking

2. For pure exercise I walk around the skate park while the boys play – it helps keep me occupied, warm and I can still watch them but they also get a bit of independence and learn how to conduct themselves with children of other ages. Sometimes I take a morning walk perhaps instead of yoga somewhere pretty, just for the sake of walking.

Meditation

3. Every activity you do can be an act of meditation but also break it into formal meditation a few times a day just for 5 -10 minutes and do a pre-sleep guided meditation.

Yoga

4. Yoga for me is best done first thing after I’ve dropped the boys at school. I wear my yoga gear to school and come straight home and do it – no excuses. I can then clean the house in my sweaty gear before having a shower.
   

Reading

5. Generally at bedtime before meditation and at lunchtime after all the plates cleared away.

Studying

6. This needs to be a priority for me I can do some in the morning while kids are at school; the afternoon when only one child is at home; in the evenings when boys asleep and early in the morning from bed when they are still asleep.

 Clean House

7. First thing after boys awake I wash my face etc and prepare for the day. Bring yoga gear, socks and runners up to the bedroom and dress immediately. Make all the beds, put on a load of washing. After breakfast clean the kitchen, benchtops etc, tidy the bedrooms. After teeth cleaned wipe down all the bathrooms. Vacuum every 2^nd day and mop once a week. Fold washing immediately out of dryer/off line, iron something every day to keep on top of it, when have some downtime on Saturday/Sunday finish the basket for the coming week.

Healthy Meals

8. Make lists of planned meals and go shopping (we walk to the shops as no car) just before school pick up times. Go to the markets Saturday mornings with a list. Remember to stock up for Saturday/Sunday/ Monday when everything is closed here. I have a list of our staple foods and stock up only on what we’ve used up.

Paperwork/emails/calls

9. Check email in the morning, reply immediately if possible. Repeat in the afternoon, delete all from the day where necessary. Make a list of appointments/paperwork/calls the night before and attend to all at one time – best of all – keep them to a bare minimum. Re: appointments only agree to times that really do suit you without being demanding. If you’re not going to be able to make it then set it back to a time you really can make it. Write all appointments down in a place you can keep track of them. THIS IS IMPORTANT – only give your phone number to people you really want to call you – if possible direct everyone else to email where you can reply at your leisure or not at all. It is NOT necessary to be friends with, or on-tap for, everyone you meet – polite yes, friends, no.

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