Doing less
Anyone who knows me will tell you I value efficient meetings, efficient communication, even efficient driving. Efficiency is the name of my game. I think it stems from my (and many of us) being taught from early ages to maximize.
Maximize time, grades, 401ks, returns, productivity, potential. Days fill with meetings and to-do’s. Kids juggle multiple after-school activities. At work, we stack projects and try to extract full value from every hour and every person. Efficiency, at least for me, felt like the only way to keep up.
In many ways, this is a strength. (Gallup agrees.) At our best, maximizers raise standards and improve things. But like any strength, it can work against us when we overuse, especially in a culture that constantly rewards doing more.
Sometimes the counterbalance we need is subtraction, or doing less.
As a maximizer, one of my biggest learnings has been creating space for varying outcomes instead of always pushing for maximum output. From a positive psychology lens, subtraction supports well-being in a few ways:
Clearer thinking → more creativity and better decisions
Slowing down → fewer mistakes and better output
More energy → greater presence and patience
Here are three simple, practical ways to subtract:
Set a boundary. Say no to commitments we don’t actually want or need, like that meeting, social obligation, or event that adds stress without much return. This is especially hard for us people-pleasers. But showing up drained or resentful doesn’t serve anyone. When we set (and communicate) clear boundaries around what we will and won’t do, we preserve energy for the things that matter most. We can’t pour from empty cups.
Delegate or outsource when possible. We don’t have to do everything ourselves, especially the things we dislike or drain us. This could mean meal or cleaning services, grocery deliveries, carpooling, or simply asking for help instead of pushing through alone. Often the biggest barrier here is letting go of the guilt or belief that we should do it all ourselves. Of course, not everyone has the same access or resources to outsource, but even small forms of delegation can create meaningful relief.
Schedule and savor downtime. Schedule breaks and don’t rush to fill them. Even if it feels boring or unproductive, short periods of real rest improve focus and output. Our worth is not tied to our productivity. (Read that again.) I’m not saying be a couch potato and completely disengage. I’m saying downtime isn’t laziness and is often how we restore the capacity to engage/perform well.
Like maximizing, practicing subtraction is a skill, and it takes effort especially for those of us wired to optimize everything. Subtraction isn’t about doing less for the sake of it, but about reducing unnecessary load so we can show up better where it really counts.
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