Key Reads: Essentialism

I was introduced to Essentialism by Greg McKeown by a colleague a few years ago, and since then I have gone back to the book several times. The first time I read it, I remember thinking “wow, this is genius. Why haven’t I always lived my life this way?!” And, whenever I feel like I’ve started to stray away from the main principles of the book, I take it off my shelf. This is definitely a book that Marie Kondo would approve of — I have and will read it again and again.

The concept of Essentialism is simple: “do less, but better.” The book is touted as an answer for anyone who has ever felt overworked, stretched too thin, or underappreciated. It focuses on changing your entire mindset, not just the way you approach things at work. Essentialism is a lifestyle that affects your professional and personal life and beyond.

The essentials of Essentialism

Once you start reading Essentialism, you’ll quickly realize that the concept presented in the book, otherwise known as “Essentialism,” isn’t just a new way to do one thing in your life, it’s a new way to do everything. A lot of the book is focused on approaching decision making in a new way. That means that any decision you have to make, whether it is connected to your work life or your home life, will need to be looked at with your new Essentialist eye.

The three main principles of Essentialism come from playing around with the following phrases:

• “I have to” becomes “I choose to”
• “Everything is important” becomes “Only a few things are important”
• “I can do both” becomes “I can do anything, but not everything”

The book stresses the fact that in today’s world, there is a massive societal pressure to say yes to everything and to be able to “do it all.” Sorry, all of you overachievers, but according to McKeown, it just isn’t possible. But, you shouldn’t think of this as a disadvantage. Rejoice in the fact that you don’t have to keep pressuring yourself to get everything done: long gone are the days of “sleep is for suckers” and “lunch is for losers.” McKeown wants you to get your 8 hours in, and he wants you to step away from your desk.

Essentialists make priorities and don’t overcommit themselves

If you’re going to start saying no to things and turning down opportunities (this may be the hardest part about becoming an Essentialist, but bear with me), you’re going to have to figure out how to determine what is a priority.

Something that can help, according to the book, is to determine your purpose and to state it clearly. We’ve already touched on the idea of intentionality many times on the blog, and I’m sure you’ve heard of the now-famous “find your why” movement, but no matter how cheesy this concept may seem, there is something to it. If you can determine your purpose or your “why,” it will make decision making a lot easier. And, every Essentialist knows just how important making decisions can be. Stop saying yes to tasks, projects, or outings that don’t align with your purpose. This will give you more time to focus on the actually important stuff, otherwise known as priorities.

In the same vein, Essentialists don’t overcommit themselves. This goes back to the concept of not saying yes just because you feel societal pressure. If you know you don’t have time to complete something or to be physically present somewhere, just say no. This helps to avoid the dreaded moment when you have to confess that you weren’t able to get something done. Ultimately, going back on your word is much more difficult than just not committing in the first place. Say no early on, and you won’t have to worry about letting people down later.

Essentialism is all about getting the most important things done — and forgetting about the rest

Essentialists only do the most important tasks, and McKeown spends most of the second half of the book explaining why and how. We’ve already gone over the why: an Essentialist lifestyle is a lot less stressful than a non-Essentialist. You won’t have to feel overworked or underappreciated, and you’ll basically be able to get your life back.

But, how? According to McKeown, it’s through the use of systems, buffers, the ability to determine and eliminate the unessential, an appreciation for small wins, routine, and focus. I really do encourage you to read the book to find out the details of all of the tricks of the trade.

If all of this sounds intimidating, you’re not alone. It takes guts to be an Essentialist, but once you get there, you’ll be respected for it. In truth, no one likes a yes-man. Have the courage to say no and you’ll be able to call yourself an Essentialist before you know it.

Originally published at https://expeeriences.com on September 2, 2020.