The Genius of Subtracting Habits: To Make Your Life Better, Try Less Before More
Subtraction creates more more time and clarity to focus on the essentials in your life
Many people maintain “to-do lists” but have never considered another list for all the habits they should stop doing to be healthy, wealthy and wise. They read all the best books on building new habits — adding to everything they are already doing.
But sometimes, it’s wise to stop and think about everything we can stop doing to make our lives better. And that includes habits that are sabotaging our finances, relationships, health, and career.
Subtraction is not limited to habits. You can subtract things on your lists. You can also subtract possessions and clutter.
“In our striving to improve our lives, our work, and our society, we overwhelmingly add. We overlook the option to subtract from what is already there,” argues Leidy Klotz, the author of Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less.
Before you start listing everything you can do to make your life better, list the things you are currently doing that bring out the worst in you. The habits that are preventing you from becoming a better version of yourself.
