The Essential Path to Efficiency

Why “less is more” is the revolution to meaningful connections to work, family, and community

In his book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Greg McKeown talks about what he found to be a corporation’s biggest threat: success. When a company was just beginning and relatively small, there were a few things the company was focused on and everyone worked hard on those few things. As the company grew and became more successful, they were given more opportunities and options––more freedom––and they tried to take on every single option, because they could.

Most of us have more options, more freedom, and more information than we can actually handle. We like to think we can do it all, but, in reality, our attempts to live a full life end up crushing us.

Efficiency Wastes No Time, Wastes No Energy

Every morning, whether we’re conscious of it or not, we begin making decisions about how and where we’ll spend our time, money, attention, and resources. Many of us have stopped making a to-do list because we’re on autopilot and easily get pulled left and right as we move through out our day. If we do make a to-do list, it’s probably a combination of things we want and hope to accomplish as well as things that other people are expecting us to do.

What if we made space for only the essential things, the things that mattered most to us?

When we take the time to figure out what is essential to us, we become more efficient. We don’t waste time on things and projects that aren’t really contributing to our long-term goals and desires. The old cliche is true: when you say no to others, you’re really saying yes to yourself.

Essentials Are the Indispensables

The essentials are the essence of a thing: if you get rid of the essentials of an object, the basic makeup of a thing, it ceases to be that thing––it becomes something else. What are the things that make you you? Have you ceased to be yourself? What are you afraid of when you overcommit or commit to things that aren’t essential to you?

Who and want do you want to connect to day to day, year to year, place to place? Who do you need in your daily life? This isn’t to say that you should dismiss all the other people you encounter during your day––of course you should be present and real with everyone, but be careful about stretching yourself thin only please another person or do something you perceive that you should.

Human Connection is Essential

As you think about what is essential in your life, consider that your human connections are not luxuries––they’re necessities. We are social beings and our health depends upon how we nourish our relationships. Who is essential in your life and how? Make a list of the people most important to you and schedule your days around contact and connection with them.

What and who make up your essentials? How can you pursue less and become more efficient and create a more meaningful, less stressed, life?

Anne Marie Vivienne