Essentialism

“Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done. It doesn’t mean just doing less for the sake of less either. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.” ― Greg Mckeown, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

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Greg Mckeown's book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less is the book that started it all for me. It was recommended to me by one of my managers and I don't think he had any idea how profoundly that small gesture would impact me. It sent me on a journey that has changed my life and the way that I look at the world. This book ignited the hunger I feel to learn and grow.

Essentialism is about focusing your life so that you can get the most out of it. Another really great quote from the book is “Remember that if you don’t prioritize your life someone else will.” Which I have found to be true. People are only too happy to decide what you should do with your time and anyone you ask will have an opinion on it. Especially in the workplace. I've mentioned this before but I think that it is worth repeating here, people will say that it is better to work smart than to work hard but what is actually encouraged in the workplace is hard work over smart work. If you don't take control of your life and focus in on the essentials you will spend your life working hard and spending your time in ways that other people decide rather than working smart and getting things done that are important to you. 

If you want to get more control over your life and your schedule I encourage you to read this book. It is a great start and gives a lot of great suggestions of things that you can do. If you are a leader I encourage you to read this book for the sake of those you lead. You may be inadvertently causing people to work hard over working smart. 

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Leadership Lesson

Focus on the important things. Learn to prioritize your life and your schedule so that you can get those things done. Don't ask your people to work hard. Don't focus on time spent in the office and be careful not to reward hard work over smart work. Smart work is sometimes harder to notice because it isn't as loud and as pressing as hard work often is. Take the time to look for it.