Less chaos, more clarity: 10 Phrasal Verbs to simplify your life

Hey there!

Let’s be honest… life can feel like a bit of a mess sometimes. Between work, family, social plans, and that ever-growing to-do list, it is easy to feel like things are spiralling out of control.

That is why this week, we are talking about how to simplify your life, not just in practice, but in the way you talk about it in English. Because sometimes, the best way to deal with chaos is to learn how to describe it (and fix it!) with confidence.

Here are 10 British English phrasal verbs that will help you talk about getting your life in order, whether you are decluttering your flat, cutting unnecessary commitments, or finally sorting out that schedule.

10 Phrasal Verbs to help you simplify life

🚀 knuckle down = to start working seriously

e.g. Okay, I need to knuckle down and sort my flat out.

⚡ crack on (with) = to continue with something energetically

e.g. Let’s crack on with the decluttering before we lose momentum.

🌱 weed out = to remove things that are not needed

e.g. You’ve got to weed out those unnecessary meetings.

💭 zone out = to lose focus or drift mentally

e.g. I totally zoned out halfway through the film.

🙋‍♀️ rope in = to convince someone to help you

e.g. I roped in my sister to help clean the garage.

😴 slack off = to become less productive or focused

e.g. I’ve really been slacking off this week.

📝 draw up = to prepare a plan or list

e.g. We’ve drawn up a new cleaning schedule, let’s see how long it lasts.

🔁 stick to = to follow something consistently

e.g. I’m trying to stick to my new morning routine.

🙄 fob off = to avoid dealing with something (or someone)

e.g. He fobbed me off with another excuse about why he couldn’t help.

🧹 clear out = to remove things you no longer need

e.g. I finally cleared out my wardrobe.

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Sometimes, learning a few handy expressions can do more than just boost your vocabulary; it can actually inspire you to take action in real life, too.

Whether you are tackling a messy inbox or decluttering your weekend plans, these phrasal verbs are the perfect tools for the job.

And if you are wondering how we came up with such a practical and fun list… well, we covered this in one of our phrasal verb classes last week at The English Life Academy. Yep, real-life English for real-life change. If you ever want to join us, you know where to find us 😉

See you in the next one!

Benjamin & Cami