Mr. Paredes's Key Ideas from Essentialism
by Greg McKeown

Avoid falling into the trap of learned helplessness by actively making choices that align with your priorities. This is not about being passive, but about taking control of your life.

• Recognize your power to choose: Shift from saying "I have to" to "I choose to."
• Avoid learned helplessness: Don't let overwhelm lead to passivity or overactivity.
• Exercise your power of choice: Make deliberate decisions rather than letting others dictate your actions.

Learn to make trade-offs and concentrate on doing a few things very well.

• Prioritize essentials: Identify and focus on the most important tasks and activities.
• Make deliberate trade-offs: Understand that saying yes to one thing means saying no to another.
• Learn from successful examples: Southwest Airlines succeeded by focusing on essential services and cutting out unnecessary extras.

Regularly carve out time to think and reflect on your priorities.

• Schedule thinking time: Set aside daily periods for solitude and reflection.
• Avoid day-to-day task traps: Keep the bigger picture in mind to stay aligned with your goals.
• Use journaling: Write down key thoughts and reflections to help maintain focus on what’s essential.

Play and rest are essential for creativity and productivity.

• Value play: Use play to inspire creativity and reduce stress.
• Prioritize rest: Ensure adequate sleep to enhance cognitive function and productivity.
• Avoid burnout: Recognize that rest and rejuvenation are crucial for sustained performance.

Develop a systematic approach to cutting out non-essential tasks and commitments.

• Use the 90-percent rule: Keep only what scores above 90 in importance.
• Adopt a clear yes/no policy: If something isn’t a clear yes, it’s a no.
• Set boundaries: Create firm boundaries to protect your time and focus.

Essentialism is about making deliberate choices to focus on what truly matters, eliminate the non-essentials, and optimize one's time and energy.

By embracing the principles of essentialism, you can lead a more productive, fulfilling, and balanced life.

Remember, less is often more when achieving your goals and finding happiness.

Be an Editor of Your Life

Instead of constantly adding more responsibilities and possessions, focus on eliminating the unnecessary.

Regularly evaluate your tasks, commitments, and belongings, and remove anything that doesn't contribute to your goals or well-being.

This will help you concentrate on what truly matters and improve your productivity and satisfaction.