You want to change the world but you barely have time to change a light bulb. Welcome to a very big club of people who lack the space in their calendars to live out their convictions. Even writing a letter to an MP can feel overwhelming.

Take heart. There are ways to change the world without sending your own life into serious overdrive. Here are four simple examples of lifestyle activism:

1. Change the world by changing your life
It's so easy to forget the issues you feel strongly about, especially when careers, kids and mortgages all demand your time and attention. An easy way to combat this fatigue is to take some time to reflect on what is important to you.

Make a list of the issues about which you are most passionate. Then commit to using some leisure time to inform yourself about that issue. For example, you may discover a documentary on the topic and watch it some night instead of the latest blockbuster.

2. Shop Differently
We all shop. We have to be consumers to feed our families, furnish our homes and clothe our bodies. Remember that your spending power is power indeed.

Try to buy "fair-trade" products that ensure that the producer of the product received a fair wage and that child labour did not play a role. And buying locally produced products is an easy thing to do that environmentalists say has a huge positive impact on the world.

3. A different world is just a click away
The internet is a constant companion to many of us. It can also be a doorway to involvement with organizations that fight poverty and injustice.

Make Poverty History is an example of one campaign that is making a difference in the world. In less than one minute you can sign up and send two letters to Parliament Hill. It really is that easy!

4. Raise activists
If you are a parent, you can raise the coolest kids on the planet by talking to them about global concerns.

As a family project, you can pick one issue and investigate it together. Better yet, encourage your child to choose school projects that reflect your family's priorities. The difference you end up making in the world by raising globally aware kids might just astound you!

Click here to learn more about sponsoring a child—an easy way that you and your family can make a big difference.