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The Power of Less

The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to The Essential... in Business and in Life
by Leo Babauta

thepowerofless.com

  • Originally read February 2011, revisited April 2016

Introduction

Part I: The Principles

1. Why Less Is Powerful

2. The Art of Setting Limits

  • Our lives are filled with too much stuff, information, things to do
  • When we have limits, like shopping, we choose things that matter (and buy less junk)
  • We try to live without limits, but... we can't fit everything into our lives

It weakens us in so many ways. It dilutes our power and effectiveness. It spreads us too thin. It tires us out so that we don't have the energy to handle the important stuff. A life without limits is taking a cup of red dye and pouring it into the ocean, and watching the color dilute into nothingness. Limited focus is putting that same cup of dye into a gallon of water.

  • "Limitless is weak. Learn to focus yourself with limits, and you'll increase your strength."

How Limits Can Help

  • A limitless life is overwhelming and ineffective; a life with limits brings focus and power
  • Benefits
      1. "It simplifies things." → a simplified life is more manageable & less stressful
      1. "It focuses you." → focuses your fixed energy on less things
      1. "It focuses on what's important." → "you do only what's important to you"
      1. "It helps you achieve." → focus on the essential to complete projects & goals (vs. make incremental progress when we are spread too thin)
      1. "It shows others that your time is important." → send the message that you value your time & priorities, and others will value it in return
      1. "It makes you more effective." → "using your limited time and energy on something with lasting impact"

What to Set Limits On

  • Set limits on every area of your life that is overloaded / takes too much time
  • Start with one area, ideally one that will be successful
  • Some ideas
    • e-mail
    • daily tasks
    • # of active projects
    • amount of time reading on the web
    • # of things on your desk
  • Focus on one change until it becomes comfortable routine

How to Set Limits

  • Your first attempt is a fairly arbitrary number, but grounded in your experience and what you is ideal in that activity
  • Ex. If you check email 10-15 times a day, you might try 1-5 times
  • Steps
      1. Set a limit
      1. Test it for a week and analyze if it's working
      1. If not, adjust the limit and test again
      1. Adjust until it becomes habit

3. Choosing the Essential, and Simplifying

4. Simple Focus

5. Create New Habits, and the Power of Less Challenge

6. Start Small

Part II: In Practice

7. Simple Goals and Projects

8. Simple Tasks

9. Simple Time Management

10. Simple E-mail

11. Simple Internet

12. Simple Filing

13. Simple Commitments

14. Simple Daily Routine

15. Declutter Your Work Space

16. Slow Down

17. Simple Health and Fitness

18. On Motivation

Acknowledgements