Essentialism
2014 • 260 pages
Ratings104
Average rating3.9
15
Ratings104
Average rating3.9
Essentialism isn't about getting more done in less time. It's about getting only the right things done. Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin? Do you simultaneously feel overworked and underutilized? Are you often busy but not productive? Do you feel like your time is constantly being hijacked by other people's agendas? If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is the Way of the Essentialist. Essentialism is more than a time-management strategy or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution toward the things that really matter. By forcing us to apply more selective criteria for what is Essential, the disciplined pursuit of less empowers us to reclaim control of our own choices about where to spend our precious time and energy -- instead of giving others the implicit permission to choose for us. Essentialism is not one more thing. It's a whole new way of doing everything. It's about doing less, but better, in every area of our lives. Essentialism is a movement whose time has come. - Jacket flap.
Reviews with the most likes.
I've never done this with any other book - when I got to the end, I went back to the beginning and immediately started over.
Nothing has clarified for me more why I feel so burnt out so much of the time, why I kick myself for constantly failing to make all the improvements I want to in my life, and why productivity tricks and systems weren't the ultimate answer.
The real answer is simple but far from easy: You must say no to most things. You must say no most of the time, even to very good opportunities.
This book truly helps you understand what is essential in your life, and how to eliminate non-essential activities and commitments. It acknowledges that the choices will often be hard, and helps you figure out your own best path through that difficulty.
This approach has already paid off for me - I have less stress and a feeling of space and ease in my life. Some upcoming plans that were starting to feel like a dreaded chore have regained their joyful tone because I cut out the nonessential things that were overloading me and thus making me view all my commitments as burdens. It isn't painless, but it is worth it.
This book was a fast read for me. The good thing is that it made me feel less anxious and less stressed. It reminded me that I have the power to choose what I want to do with my time and my life. And that I don't need to let others dictate/influence my schedule and my to-do list.
It taught me that the most important question to ask is: “What is really essential to me?”. The rest can simply be thrown away.
Also, the author emphasized the importance of keeping a journal. It helps us put things in perspective and after a while we can revisit the entries to figure out the bigger picture and understand worries and figure out the essential purpose of our lives. And to make it a habit, it doesn't need to be long or complicated, you just have to write down whatever and how much you feel like in the moment.
Overall it was a good read that matched my personal psychological needs at the moment (Personally, I was going through some troubled week in my life).
I was reminded of the importance of saying “No” to almost everything that pops up in our lives, and there's nothing to feel guilty about.
It was inspiring and made me think over my current approach to life. I definitely want to start walking towards an essentialist path.
Expect every chapter to begin with a quote. And then expect a bunch of more quotes and anecdotes from every famous personality you can think of. Little practical information. Conventional wisdom like ‘Be Present' etc.
I feel like this was written as a direct call-out to a lot of my actions throughout my life. I am definitely going to take some lessons learned here and implement them in my daily life. I would highly recommend reading this book!
