With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.
~RALPH WALDO EMERSON
In The Power of Less, Leo Babauta proposes a simpler life, but one in which we accomplish the things we want to accomplish.
Why less is powerful?
The problem with constantly trying to increase volume is that it doesn’t always produce the best results. Doing more things means you’re likely to do a lot of unimportant things, and you’ll be overworked and stressed at the same time.
Six guiding principles of The Power of Less:
1. Set limitations
2. Choose the essential
3. Simplify
4. Focus
5.Create habits
By setting limitations, we must choose the essential
By choosing the essential, we create great impact with minimal resources. Always choose the essential to maximize your time and energy.
The benefits of setting limits:
- It simplifies things
- It focuses you
- It focuses on what’s important
- It helps you achieve
- It shows others that your time is important
- It makes you more effective
Use the following questions to choose the essential
1) What are your values?
2) What are your goals?
3) What do you love?
4) What is important to you?
5) What has the biggest impact?
6) What has the most long-term impact?
7) Needs vs. Wants
8) Eliminate the non-essential
9) Continual editing process
Simplifying–eliminating the nonessential
Once you’ve identified the essential, the task of simplifying is theoretically easy–you just have to eliminate all the nonessential.
Simple focus
Focus is your most important tool in becoming more effective: Focus on a goal, on now, on the task at hand, on the positive.
Multitasking is less efficient, more complicated and can be crazy-making.
Creating new habits is the secret to making lasting changes that will actually improve your life
The only way you’ll form long-lasting habits is by applying the Power of Less: Focus on one habit at a time, one month at a time, so that you’ll be able to focus all your energy on creating that one habit.
How it works?
1. Select one habit for the challenge.
2. Write down your plan
3. Post your goal publicly.
4. Report on your progress daily.
