Essentialism is not the same as minimalism, which states that "less is more." Essentialism is defined as "Less but better."
It helps you navigate a distracting world by focusing on things that are important to you. If something is not important, you eliminate it.

Essentialism

Self Improvement

One of the many reasons we feel so overwhelmed is because we say yes to far too many things. It leaves you in a difficult place of committing to something you didn't want in the first place.
It's better to say, "let me get back to you".

Don't Overcommit

Focus on a single "priority," not on multiple "priorities." The key to living an essential life is understanding what your priority is. Is it your family? Your career? Your hobby?
You will know your real priority once you know what you want out of life.

Keep Your Priorities In Sight

Because essentialism reduces your commitments to only the essential, it puts you in control of your day.
Many people allow others to take control of their day, e.g., colleagues requesting them to do this or that. When you know what is important to you, your day becomes your day. This involves having to say "no" more than you say yes. In time, others will also start to respect your time more. You will get to accomplish your priority in higher quality, which earns you more respect than trying to do everything.

Being In Control Of Your Day

Anything you want to achieve is made up of small steps that you consistently take over time.
If you want to write a daily journal, it is better to set a small goal of five sentences per day, than to believe that you have to write a thousand or more words per day. Over a week, you may not have much to show, but over many years, you will have enough for a novel.

Taking Small Consistent Steps

Find out what is essential to you, and build them into your daily routines. Your routines will drive you towards accomplishing what you want to accomplish.
If you run around doing everyone else's work, you will not be able to achieve anything for yourself.

Building Daily Routines

<img alt="" src="https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/69253f41b5b5fba648431c7ecf4d29c1?s=50&amp;r=g" height="50" width="50">In our ever distracting world overloaded with information, there has been an increasing interest in <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/866277/minimalist-living-perks" dir="ltr">minimalism</a> – “less is more” and Marie Kondo’s house clearing.People have become exhausted with the availability of things, consumer products, life choices, and demands. It is never-ending, and it is no surprise that many people are turning to simpler ways of living.Essentialism has some similarities with minimalism, but these two concepts are very different.<h2>What Is Essentialism?</h2>
In 2014, Greg McKeown published the best selling book:<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0804137382?tag=s7621-20" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr"> Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less</a>, and he has been teaching individuals, corporations and world leaders about the art of essentialism ever since.Greg defines essentialism as:Less but better.Essentialism is a way of life that helps you navigate a distracting world by focusing on things that are important to you. Essentialism is not minimalism where you reduce your material possessions to the minimumEssentialism is a mindset for deciding whether something is important to you or not. If something is not important, you eliminate it.So how can you benefit from essentialism and live a simpler, more essential way of life?
<h2>Learn to Say “No” More</h2>
One of the many reasons we feel stressed out and overwhelmed is because we say yes to far too many things.	Saying “yes” is easier than saying “no”, but it leaves you in the difficult position of having to carry through on a commitment you might not have wanted in the first place.It is important to think carefully about your decisions first.It is far better to say “let me get back to you” first than to say “yes” immediately and regret it later. Because then, you will have to either carry through with the commitment halfheartedly or waste a lot of time and effort trying to get out of the commitment later.Of course, there will always be things you may not want to do but have to do: your taxes, doing the dishes, and going to the dentist. But a lot of our commitments and invitations are choices, not obligations. you can turn them down if you want to.
<h2>Focus on Your Priority</h2>
Notice that I did not use the word “priorities”. This is a mistake many people make. They have many “priorities” but not a single “priority”.The key to living an essential life is understanding what your priority is.Is it your family? Your career? Your hobby? What is it?Most people never discover what it is they are most interested in and instead go from one interest to another. This leads to them never experiencing the joy of creating something special around something they have built for themselves.You will know your true priority once you know what you want out of life.For me, my priority is to help as many people as I can by helping them discover the benefits of organization and productivity. Because I identified this as my priority, I can make better decisions about what I want to do with my day. It also makes it easier to say no to the things that do not interest me.	If I am asked to commit to something and it does not contribute towards this priority, then it is easy for me to say no.
<h2>You Are in Control of Your Day</h2>
Because essentialism reduces your commitments to only the essential, it puts you in control of your day.Most people do not know what they want, and this unwittingly allows other people to take control of their day. For example, you may have friends and family telling you where to be and with whom, or bosses and colleagues requesting you do this or do that.It all leaves you feeling empty and unfulfilled.When you know what is important to you and you focus on only those things that bring you joy and happiness, your day becomes your day, not someone else’s. Again, this involves having to say “no” more than you say yes.Over time, you will find your friends, family, colleagues, and boss respecting your time much more, and that is when you start to gain control over your day. Gaining control of your day allows you to focus on the things you deem important.It also means that you get to accomplish your priority in higher quality, which earns you far more respect than if you were trying to do everything all at once.
<h2>All Journeys Are Made Up of Tiny Steps</h2>
Desmond Tutu once said:
<BLOCKQUOTE>“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”</BLOCKQUOTE>
Anything you want to accomplish is made up of small bites. If you want to save 1 million US dollars, you save one dollar at a time. If you want to complete a marathon, you do so one step at a time.	Everything you want to accomplish is made up of tiny steps that you consistently take over time.I have always been attracted to writing a daily journal but consistently failed to turn this into a habit. That changed when I began practicing essentialism and having a “less is more” mindset.Instead of believing I had to write a thousand or more words per day, I set the goal of writing no more than five sentences per day. This is not many, but it helped instill in me the habit of writing a journal daily, which was the main goal.Now, I look forward to sitting down at the end of the day with my journal and writing those few sentences as a summary of my day.Over a week, I will not have much to show for my journaling efforts. But over many years, when I consistently do it, I will have around 8,900 sentences. That is roughly the length of a best-selling novel.
<h2>Build Routines Around What Is Essential to You</h2>
There are three things important to me: creating content, exercising, and reading.I love doing all these things. And if I get to read something, create content I can publish, and exercise every day, I can say I had a great day. Because I have identified these three things, I built them into my daily routines.I begin the day with writing whenever I can. I create content mid-morning, and I exercise at 2 pm. They are not only built into my mental schedule, but they are also scheduled on my calendar as well. I close out my day with twenty to thirty minutes of reading before going to sleep.It is your routines that drive you towards accomplishing what you want to accomplish.If you are busy doing everyone else’s work, you will not be able to achieve anything for yourself. You will be like a puppet being controlled by outside forces.	But if you start your day with time for yourself and do your priority, then you will maintain control of your day and life.
<h2>Why Less Is More</h2>
Our lives are full of opportunities, and these opportunities are everywhere.Twenty years ago, if a teenager wanted to make money from creating short films, they would be laughed at unless they had rich enough parents to buy them the necessary camera equipment for them to try.But even if they had the right equipment and could make films, they had nowhere to showcase them. Today, the phone you carry around with you everywhere has the potential to make you millions of dollars. Platforms like YouTube and Vimeo provide people with this opportunitySo, if it is easy to make so much money, why are so few people doing it?Because there are too many opportunities.With so many opportunities, it is incredibly difficult to choose which one to take. The successful people today are the ones who chose one opportunity and ran with it long enough for it to turn into success.Just to give you some examples of people who turned video making into success: Casey Neistat created real-life stories about living in New York.[1] Matt D’Avella took minimalism and film-making and turned that into success[2], and Aileen Xu, AKA Lavendaire, took simple living and created videos around that theme.[3]Although they are all talented people in their own right, their success was not just built on their talents. It was also built on focusing on one theme and staying consistent over many years.This is how essentialism can help you become successful.
<h2>Key Takeaways</h2><UL><LI>Essentialism is not a physical thing like minimalism. Essentialism is a state of mind. It is about focusing on what is important to you and not allowing outside noise to interfere with your focus.</LI><LI>Essentialism allows you to take control of your day by allowing you to assess and evaluate opportunities before accepting them.</LI><LI>Finally, essentialism helps you focus on less, and this allows you to do these things better in the long run.</LI></UL>Do you often feel stressed out with too much work or too many responsibilities? As time passes, do you feel like you have more tasks on hand than you have time to do them?The trick is to organize your tasks and use your time effectively to get more things done each day. This can help you to lower stress levels and improve your productivity both at work and at home.Time management skills take time to develop and will look different for each person. Finding what works best for you and your busy schedule is key here.To get you started, here are 10 ways to improve your time management skills and increase productivity.<h2>1. Delegate Tasks</h2>It is common for all of us to take on more tasks than we are capable of completing. This can often result in stress and burnout.Delegation does not mean you are running away from your responsibilities but are instead learning proper management of your tasks. Learn <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/810935/the-careful-art-of-delegation?itm_source=www.lifehack.org&amp;itm_medium=seo-article&amp;itm_campaign=cold-to-warm&amp;itm_content=text-link&amp;itm_term=101-article" dir="ltr">the art of delegating work</a> to your subordinates as per their skills and abilities and get more done. This will not only free up time for you but will help your team members feel like an integral piece of the work puzzle.	<h2>2. Prioritize Work</h2>Before the start of the day, make a list of tasks that need your immediate attention. Unimportant tasks can consume much of your precious time, and we tend to offer these too much of our energy because they are easier or less stressful.However, identifying urgent tasks that need to be completed on that day is critical to your productivity. Once you know where to put your energy, you will start to get things done in an order that works for you and your schedule.In short, <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/684057/how-to-prioritize-right-in-10-minutes-and-work-10x-faster" dir="ltr">prioritize your important tasks</a> to keep yourself focused.<h2>3. Create a Schedule</h2>Carry a planner or notebook with you and list all the tasks that come to your mind. Being able to check off items as you complete them will give you a sense of accomplishment and keep you motivated.Make a simple <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/why-to-do-lists-dont-work-and-done-lists-do.html" dir="ltr">‘To Do’ list</a> before the start of the day, prioritize the tasks, and <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/simple-productivity-10-ways-to-do-more-by-focusing-on-the-essentials.html" dir="ltr">focus on the essentials</a>. Make sure that these tasks are attainable, too. If there is a big task you need to complete, make that the only thing on your list. You can push the others to the next day.&nbsp;To better manage your time management skills, you may think of making 3 lists: work, home and personal.	<h2>4. Set up Deadlines</h2>When you have a task at hand, <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/22-tips-for-effective-deadlines.html" dir="ltr">set a realistic deadline</a> and stick to it. Once you set a deadline, it may be helpful to write it on a sticky note and put it near your workspace. This will give you a visual cue to keep you on task.Try to set a deadline a few days before the task is due so that you can complete all those tasks that may get in the way.&nbsp;Challenge yourself and meet the deadline; reward yourself for meeting a difficult challenge.<h2>5. Overcome Procrastination</h2>Procrastination is one of the things that has a negative effect on productivity. It can result in wasting essential time and energy. It could be a major problem in both your career and your personal life[1].Avoiding <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/669901/how-to-stop-procrastinating" dir="ltr">procrastination</a> can be difficult for many. We tend to procrastinate when we feel bored or overwhelmed. Try to schedule in smaller, fun activities throughout the day to break up the more difficult tasks. This may help you stay on track.<h2>6. Deal With Stress Wisely</h2>Stress often occurs when we accept more work than we are capable of accomplishing. The result is that our body starts feeling tired, which can affect our productivity.Stress comes in various forms for different people, but some productive ways to deal with stress can include:	<OL><LI>Getting outside</LI><LI>Exercising</LI><LI>Practicing meditation</LI><LI>Calling up a friend</LI><LI>Participating in your favorite hobby</LI><LI>Listening to music or a podcast</LI></OL>The key is to find what works for you when it comes to lowering your stress response. If you don’t have time for anything else, try a couple of <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/845536/deep-breathing-exercises" dir="ltr">breathing techniques</a>. These can be done in minutes and have been proven to lower stress-inducing hormones.<h2>7. Avoid Multitasking</h2>Most of us feel that multitasking is an efficient way of getting things done, but the truth is that we do better when we focus and concentrate on one thing. <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/why-multitasking-bad-for-you.html" dir="ltr">Multitasking hampers productivity</a> and should be avoided to improve time management skills.Make use of to-do lists and deadlines to help you stay focused! This way you can do better at what you’re doing. Wait until you finish one before starting another. You’ll be surprised by how much more you’re able to get done.<h2>8. Start Early</h2>Most successful people have one thing in common — <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/this-why-productive-people-always-wake-early.html" dir="ltr">they start their day early</a> as it gives them time to sit, think, and plan their day.When you get up early, you are more calm, creative, and clear-headed. As the day progresses, your energy levels start going down, which affects your productivity, motivation, and focus[2].If you’re not a morning person, you can just try waking up thirty minutes earlier than your normal time. You’ll be amazed by how much you can get done in that bit of time. If you don’t want to use it to work, use it to do a bit of exercise or eat a healthy breakfast. This kind of routine will also contribute to your productivity during the day.	<h2>9. Take Regular Breaks</h2>Whenever you find yourself feeling tired and stressed, take a break for 10 to 15 minutes. Too much stress can take a toll on your body and affect your productivity.And even better, <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/the-importance-of-scheduling-downtime.html" dir="ltr">schedule your break times</a>. It helps you to relax and gets back to work with energy again later. If you know a break is coming, you’ll likely be able to overcome boredom or a lack of motivation to push through the task at hand.Take a walk, listen to some music, or do some quick stretches. The best idea is to take a break from work completely and spend time with your friends and family.<h2>10. Learn to Say No</h2>Politely<a href="https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/the-gentle-art-of-saying-no.html" dir="ltr"> refuse to accept additional tasks</a> if you think that you’re already overloaded with work. Take a look at your to do list before agreeing to take on extra work.Many people worry that saying no will make them look selfish, but the truth is that saying no is one of the best ways to take care of yourself and your time. When you take care of this, you’ll find you have more energy to devote to the important things, which the people around you will ultimately appreciate.<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>When you get clear about what’s on your plate, you’ll be more focused and get more done in less time.Good time management requires a daily practice of prioritizing tasks and organizing them in a way that can save time while achieving more. Use the above strategies for few weeks and see if they help you. You may be surprised just how much more time you seem to have.

Essentialism is a way of life that helps you navigate a distracting world by focusing on things that are important to you. In other words, essentialism means "less but better".

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

What is Essentialism and How You Can Benefit from It

Essentialism

Don't Overcommit

Keep Your Priorities In Sight

Being In Control Of Your Day

Taking Small Consistent Steps

Building Daily Routines

IDEAS ABOUT

MORE LIKE THIS

The secret to mastering your time is to systematically focus on importance and suppress urgency

Deep Work: How to Develop the Most Valuable Skill of the 21st Century

Essentialism

It's time to

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LIKE

A PRO!

Bite-sized knowledgeto upgradeyour career

What is Essentialism and How You Can Benefit from It

Essentialism

Don't Overcommit

Keep Your Priorities In Sight

Being In Control Of Your Day

Taking Small Consistent Steps

Building Daily Routines

IDEAS ABOUT

MORE LIKE THIS

The secret to mastering your time is to systematically focus on importance and suppress urgency

Deep Work: How to Develop the Most Valuable Skill of the 21st Century

Essentialism

It's time to

READ

LIKE

A PRO!

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career