Is it possibly to feel calmer by anxiously following the many meticulous "Real Simple" rules

Confession: I buy Real Simple Magazine on a regular basis.

It targets middle-aged women with children, and its tagline is “Life Made Easier.” An easy life can apparently be achieved by learning how to put together 5 outfits from 7 pieces of clothing, how to streamline your morning routine with 12 beauty tips, how to remove dead bugs from light fixtures, and how to prepare 3 weeks’ worth of delicious dinners for a family of 4.

The two reasons I read Real Simple are because it has gorgeous graphic design and because there’s something nice about having everything broken down into easy-to-understand steps, as arbitrary and subjective as they may be.

And they are very arbitrary.

Real Simple is designed for the type of readers who like to plan, and the type of readers who use nine strategically placed egg timers to get their two kids out the door in the mornings.

The tips you get in Real Simple are similar to the ones you find in magazines like Martha Stewart Living, Good Housekeeping, and Ladies’ Home Journal. But at least Martha doesn’t try to conceal the fact that following her advice can actually make your life more difficult. Continue reading →