Downshift Your Lifestyle
How Living Simpler Can Mean Living Better

by Karen Sorel

The simple definition of downshifting is spending less on lifestyle in order to have a higher-quality, less-stressful, more Earth-friendly life. Downshifting has come to mean the process of choosing to live with less: less money and fewer possessions and complications. It encompasses a number of lifestyle changes and philosophical reasons for change.

The idea of downshifting surfaces from time to time in newspapers and books. Sociologist Juliet Schor coined the phrase in her 1998 book, The Overspent American. More recently, a lagging economy is forcing some people to re-examine their lifestyle, and to decide whether they can afford it. Others choose to lessen their impact on the environment by driving less, spending less. Whether or not these reasons ring true for you, the ideas behind downshifting are worth taking a look at.

My downshifting began about six years ago after a two-month trip to Mexico. I had lived without a television and telephone while there, and came to enjoy the ease of that time. Much of the joy seemed related to simply having enough time to do the things I wanted, feeling more relaxed and not having the bother and blare of electronic devices. I looked for ways to bring this into my life when I returned to the United States.

Since then, my downshifting has included dropping down to sharing one vehicle with my husband; working fewer hours than usual, for a period of time; shopping at consignment shops; and setting aside large periods of time for contemplation or travel. In general I do not shop very much at all, and I think very hard about purchases larger than $100. I find that buying things does not contribute to my level of happiness. Getting rid of things and giving myself more personal time have consistently increased my level of happiness.

Why do other downshifters choose to live on less? People give a variety of reasons, including personal freedom, saving the planet, social justice, or a wish to retire early. Some are forced to downshift due to a decrease in income from a business or job but find that the freedom is reason enough to continue with a simpler lifestyle. "The most common reason cited for downshifting by a wide margin is wanting more time, less stress, and more balance in life," Schor writes.

Carol Nierman, a massage therapist in Westlake Village, California, after a stint in the corporate world, has a classic downshifting story. "I was attracted to the idea of downshifting after working at series of weird jobs that I took to support myself," she says. "I found myself working with surly people for high wages, and wishing that I could do something meaningful instead." She worked at a corporate job in quality management. Her opportunity to simplify her life came when the company was bought out and employees laid off.

Ellen Zimmerman, a massage therapist in Minneapolis, Minnesota, says a bike trip started her on the simple life. "When I was 21 I lived four months on my bicycle. Living without a lot of possessions for that period of time helped me to gain perspective." Since then she's found it easy to choose a simpler lifestyle and finds she has "the feeling that work is a choice. I don't have debt hanging over me, so I take on work because I want to."

Jonathan Allan, a project manager in the engineering department of a health-care organization and follower of the New Road Map Foundation (see sidebar “To Learn More … “), cites the different "doors" that people use to move to simpler lives. He and his wife came in the financial and the environmental doors. Other doors are: moral concerns, social justice, time famine, debt, spirituality and retirement.

The outer trappings

Although people are attracted to a simple lifestyle for different reasons, there are common threads in how they live it. Consignment shops, simpler commutes, and stashing extra income for future goals are some of the threads. Everyone I talked to emphasized the advantages of using an automobile less and having time to volunteer more as benefits of their simpler lifestyles.

Zimmerman’s previous work in an office setting meant she had to buy clothing she didn't really like to wear. She felt she was living a dual life: her job life and her more-comfortable personal life. As a massage therapist she now works close to home and enjoys wearing more comfortable clothing.

"Working as a massage therapist, I can bring my own personal style into my work versus having to conform to a standard set by an institution—for example, having to have a certain wardrobe," Zimmerman says. "Additionally, choosing work hours that fit my own biorhythm and not having to ask for permission to take a time-out when needed also helps in achieving a higher quality of life.

"All that added to working at something I feel passionate about helps in some of the sacrifices that are made in choosing a lifestyle outside of the box," she continues. "It would be difficult returning to a full-time job in an institution."

Christina Nellemann, a journalist in Reno, Nevada, says things have changed in these ways in her life: "I bring my lunch to work every day, I have a car that's paid for that I will drive 'til it dies, I put almost 50 percent of my earnings into savings and retirement plans, and I dumpster dive."

A lifestyle by any other name

After my return from my simple-living-in-Mexico trip, a friend (probably tired of listening to me crow about my experience) gave me the book Your Money or Your Life, by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. It promotes the idea of "transforming your relationship with money and achieving financial independence."

Voluntary simplicity, simple living and Earth-friendly living are other names given to the choice to live simply by groups that promote the concept. (See “To Learn More” for contact information.)

Benefits of downshifting

Why would people choose to maintain a lifestyle that goes against the dominant messages of our culture, which run along the lines of "spend more"; "consume"; "buy what you want"; and "the environment is here to serve us and we'll use it as we please"? It seems there must be big rewards for living simply, or people wouldn't choose to do so. Again, for each person the benefits are different, and come, of course, from who that person is.

"Living more simply allows me the flexibility to determine for myself what projects I will work on, and not just because I need the money," Nierman says.

For Zimmerman, an upside is having fewer things to maintain. She has considered looking for a house to buy, but listening recently to a house owner complain about shoveling snow and house maintenance made her think twice. It would add more complexity for her.

"Never having a boss again!" was Nellemann 's emphatic reply. "Just the feeling of not having any debt and not having anyone to answer to. I would rather have less, but know that I am secure. Especially in these economic times."

For Allan, the choice to downsize is in accordance with his values. "To retire early and live lighter on the Earth are very important to me. The end result is that I make choices that appear on the surface to be insane, like buying Treasury bonds at 6 percent [interest] when stocks were returning 25 percent annually a year ago, but [that] fit my values.”

He also watches a lot less TV. Because of this, he says, there is "less opportunity to be influenced to spend, more time to do what I want, no cable bill to work to pay for, and all because I don't feel the urge to spend multiple hours a day vacantly staring and drooling at the idiot box."

How-to

In Your Money or Your Life, the authors suggest ways to help determine your need to downsize, such as: Figure out where your money is going; figure out what you are earning, and what you are really keeping after factoring in what you spend to maintain your job and lifestyle. Look at purchases and expenses. Do they really make you happy? Considering what it took to pay for them, was that a good expenditure of your energy?

The book goes on to describe how to work toward financial independence, while continually asking the question, "Is this really worth the energy I'm expending to get it?" The authors also give some very specific investment information. The ideas in the book have developed into a network of individuals who work with the Your Money or Your Life program. Speakers are available; the network includes clubs that work together on an ongoing basis; and the Web site is rich with resources.

One other thread that comes up when talking with those who choose a simple life is that some choose to up-shift for a period of time. A chance to do part-time dream work appears. Or a short-term lucrative offer. It means working harder for a while but leads somewhere that fits with the person's path—more skills or extra money for the goal of freedom and simplicity.

As Zimmerman points out, "In order to live a simpler life sometimes things get more complicated and crazy for a while. Sometimes you're busier for a time and have to make certain compromises like going to school to get to that [simpler] lifestyle. Transitions can feel crazier or more complicated. But it can be part of the road there." She spent a year going to school while working a full-time job. It was hectic. She was clear that her goal was a simpler life as a massage therapist. Without debt. So she tolerated the craziness for a time.

Intangibles bring people to a simpler lifestyle. From Nierman comes this story: "Every morning when there is early sun, the morning rays hit my living-room window in just such a way that they illuminate the entire room in a nice, rosy light. It lasts for only a minute or two. I used to see it only on weekends, if I wasn't too tired, because during the week I would already be out the door and on the freeways during the week, before sunrise. Now I can relax with a cup of coffee and wait for the sun every morning."

See Issue 116