Essentialism

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.