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Essentialism

$13.19

Learn how going in one direction can change your productivity, trajectory, and even your life. Doing less and learning to say "no" are hard, but taking ownership of your calendar will bring you peace and confidence.

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Essentialism Book Summary

Do one thing at a time. In today's world, our lives are fast-paced and filled with different responsibilities and tasks. This influx tends to confuse us on what's a priority. We may make an effort to do all our tasks, but we still end up doing too much.

This really affects our overall productivity. By adopting essentialism, we can sift through the task and set the priorities right. This way one can identify what's not important in your life to cut out, and remaining with what's of high quality.

We must reject the idea that we have to accomplish everything we do. We must learn to choose what's essential and specific so that we can excel in the field. Essentialism is about making great strides in the work that matters to you, not a jack of all trades. The opposite of the book Range.

The essentialist's way is not about getting more things done in a shorter time. Neither is it about getting less done. It's only about one thing, getting the right things done only. Another wonderful book on this subject is The ONE Thing.

We have to change the notion that we can do it all, and we can do it all alone. Essentialism is about getting the right balance of what's important. It's about taking back control of our own choices and how we won't spend our time.

Essentialism tells us that to become the editor of your life, one has to adopt the 90% rule. Before doing anything or making a decision, look at the most important criterion, and value them between 0 and 100. Whatever falls under 90, is not considered important and should go. Another good book in this is Getting Things Done.

Take the example of sorting out your wardrobe. Calculate the chances of you wearing a certain piece of clothing again. If it falls below 90%, then throw it out.

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Just as when you make a to-do list, keep asking yourself what's the most important and complete the ones at the top first. One cannot just determine what activities make the best contribution, one has to actively eliminate those that do not add value. More on the value of to-do lists in the book The Checklist Manifesto.

Using an application of key-based criteria, the pursuit of less enables us to regain control of our own choices allowing us to channel our time, energy, and effort with the aim of maximizing input towards their significant goals and activities.

For essentialism to become a lifestyle and not only an irregular exercise, essentialists also depend on the arrangement, routine, and the festival of little gradual advancement. 

A key for an essential life is planning for the unexpected and creating a buffer in all they do. They recognize that you can't foresee the unforeseen and they get ready for it. McKeown expands looking into it for readiness by proposing we add half an hour to our time appraisals to prepare for the unexpected delay. It's about avoiding problems whenever possible. Something mentioned in the classic How To Win Friends & Influence People.

Essentialism likewise grasps making schedules to accomplish 'flow state'. By making these schedules our default, we exhaust less exertion attempting to support them. This opens up vitality for other inventive interests. It's the same reason Zuckerberg wears the same shirt everyday, so he doesn’t have to think about what to wear.

To overhaul terrible schedules and replace them with great ones, McKeown proposes taking advantage of our propensity circles, recognizing our signals, and discovering approaches to redirect them towards our more essentialist lifestyle.

At long last, essentialism "begins little and praises progress." Of the apparent multitude of sorts of inspiration, progress is the best, since little successes make energy.

Another book with a single focus, but on the benefits of honesty in the workplace is Radical Candor.

About The Author Greg McKeown

McKeown is the CEO of McKeown Inc., an organization he owns and with a focus on implementing Essentialism in organizations and individuals. His customers incorporate Apple, Facebook, and Google. He also serves as a Young Global Leader, for the prestigious World Economic Forum.

McKeown's writings have been posted and appeared on HuffPost, the New York Times, and Inc. Magazine. He writes a blog on the Harvard Business Review, which proved to be one of the most popular, attracting a million average views a month.

McKeown is a cultivated open speaker and has addressed several crowds across the world including Australia, Japan, and China. Initially from London, England, McKeown now lives in Silicon Valley with his significant other and their four kids.