What do I mean when I say you can do less and yet accomplish more? Less and more of what? In fact, the particular activities in both cases must be determined by the individual, and often they are dictated by and change with circumstances. Doing less is more of an art than a science. Doing less is a way of being, an effective way of approaching life and work, and with this practice, we can live with a great deal more satisfaction — in nearly any situation.
The guiding principle is that when we approach any task in the right spirit, we become more successful and efficient at it. When we engage in less self-defeating behaviors, when we feel less fear, when we become less distracted, we accomplish more of whatever we set our hearts to. Thus, by recasting our attitudes, we reap tangible, practical benefits: we then “do less” by jettisoning activities we think are urgent but aren’t; we “do less” by streamlining our efforts and eliminating unnecessary or reflexive responses. But to achieve these external real-world benefits, we first have to turn inward and “do less” within ourselves.
Here are five important ways we will learn to do less:
1. We do less by taking the time to rest mentally and physically in between or outside of our usual activities, perhaps instituting a regular practice of meditation, retreats, breaks, and reflection.
2. We do less by pausing in the midst of activities: mindfulness practice (such as coming in touch with our breath in between reading or sending emails) and walking meditation are two examples.
3. We do less by identifying and reducing unnecessary activities. In this case, “unnecessary” means those things that are not in alignment with what we want to accomplish.
4. We do less by the very quality of our being. We must be completely present for what we are doing, without sacrificing or rushing what’s in front of us in order to get to “more important” stuff later. No matter how mundane the activity, treat everything as important and take pleasure in it. At bottom, whatever we are doing right now is what we are engaged in and it deserves our full attention and appreciation.
5. We do less by integrating effort with a feeling of effortlessness. This sounds like a contradiction but it isn’t. With practice, we all can find that sweet spot that combines engagement, creativity, and composure.
Adapted from Less: Accomplishing More By Doing Less