Why keeping things simple works better than making them complicated
What happens when we complicate what actually works
Maybe you’ve noticed this before…
We find a simple practice that helps.
Walking in the morning.
Eating regular meals.
Going to bed at a decent hour.
And for a while, it works.
But then we start thinking maybe we should be doing more.
Maybe we need a more sophisticated approach.
A better system.
A more complete protocol.
So we add layers.
More steps.
More things to track, optimize, and get right.
And somehow, the thing that was helping stops feeling helpful at all.
Which begs the question…
What if the issue isn't that the simple version is insufficient, but that introducing complexity causes it to fail?
Why we complicate what works
There’s something in us that resists simplicity.
Simple feels too easy. Too basic.
Like it couldn’t possibly be enough to make a real difference.
We think if something works, we should build on it.
Add more. Make it better. Turn it into a proper system.
So we take the morning walk that was helping and turn it into a detailed exercise routine with specific targets and metrics.
We take the regular meals that were stabilizing our energy and turn them into a complicated nutrition plan with rules about timing and macros.
We take the reasonable bedtime that was helping us sleep and turn it into an elaborate wind-down routine with twelve steps.
Or something along those lines…
And our nervous systems, which were maybe starting to settle with the simple version, suddenly feel overwhelmed again.
What our bodies know about complexity
Here’s something our bodies understand that our minds often don’t:
Simple feels safe.
Our nervous systems can relax into simple routines because they’re predictable and manageable.
On the contrary, complex feels challenging.
Even when we intellectually believe the complexity will help us, our bodies often experience it as more demand, more pressure, more to manage.
When something requires too many steps or too much mental energy, our nervous systems might start resisting it, even if the thing itself would be good for us.
That’s not laziness or lack of discipline.
Instead, it is simply our bodies recognizing that the complexity itself has become a stressor.
The power of staying simple
What if the simple version is actually enough?
What if the morning walk, just as a walk, is doing exactly what our bodies need without needing to become a workout plan?
What if eating regular meals, without all the rules and optimization, is already helping us feel more stable?
What if going to bed at a reasonable hour, without the elaborate routine, is enough to improve our sleep?
Sometimes the best thing we can do for our nervous systems is to resist the urge to complicate what’s already working.
To let simple be enough, even when our minds are telling us we should be doing more.
Try this instead
Can you think of something simple that’s been helping you, or could potentially help?
Now notice if you’ve been thinking about ways to make it more complex, more complete, more optimized.
And ask yourself: what if I just did the simple version?
What if I didn’t add more steps, rules, or tracking?
What if simple is actually what my body needs, even if my mind thinks it should be more complicated?
Maybe we should see if we can give ourselves permission to keep it simple, even when it feels like we should be doing more.
Our nervous systems might thank us for it.
Remember:.Complexity itself can be a stressor.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is let simple be enough.
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So much wisdom here. In my 20s I always over optimized things. These days I embrace simplicity. No need to overcomplicate the small stuff like waking up, eating, exercising. The less load our nervous system takes, the better we can tackle the day's biggest challenges.