The prophet Isaiah urged the people of God living under extreme stress to remember that their strength would be found in quietness and trust. The Psalmist urged worshippers that to be still was key to their worship. Jesus reminded people that sitting in quietness was better than a life of hectic busyness. Even the writer Henry David Thoreau when asked the secret of life, replied, "Simplify, simplify, simplify." Almost everyone feels the demands on the limited resources of time and money—so how do we build quiet, rest, and simplicity into our lives? Technology can help, but it often adds more stress. Planning is useful, but it often means that we end up doing more and increasing our speed in the hours that we have. Multi-tasking might mean that we get more done, but it's no substitute for the peace of a more balanced life. Realistically, these demands on our resources will only increase as the pace of life and the options on how to expend our limited resources multiply. Simplify is about making choices to restore balance, to build a life schedule founded on the sane realization that we cannot accomplish everything and to learn to live within our limits. By covering issues related to scheduling, pacing your life, saying "no", and even eating more sensibly, Simplify helps the reader live with a greater sense of inner contentment, enjoyment of life and increased sense of purpose.
