“Keep It Simple Stupid.”

– 9th-grade math teacher

We are all guilty of overcomplicating our lives at times. We overcrowd our schedule with events and meetings and oftentimes forget to prioritize our own well-being, especially introverts who enjoy decompressing alone on walks, reading or listening to podcasts or music.

The KISS principle is perhaps one of the oldest and most underappreciated life tidbits that have been passed down through the generations. As we enter 2021 in an age increasingly dominated by technology and leave the 2020 Covid nightmare year behind us, don’t forget to take a step back to unwind and appreciate the small things in life. A cup of coffee. A glass of wine. Conversation with friends and family. Just because the holiday season is coming to a close, doesn’t mean we should de-prioritize the things that matter most in life.

The KISS principle is one of my favorite principles since it can be applied to so many things in life, from how we interact with technology (e.g. perhaps limiting the number of apps we use from dozens to just a few) to how plan for the year (e.g. schedule 1–2 vacations now) to how to grow a business (e.g. enter one market at a time and try not to offer all things to all customers or be all things to all people).

As a little fun inspiration, while I don’t plan to buy one, there seems to be a growing market now for old fashioned dumbphones! If I were to get one as a second phone for “off days”, I personally like the BLU JOY for under $30 bucks on Amazon.