Leo Babauta | © 2009, Hyperion

by Lisa Fahoury, CBC

A constant stream of emails. Instant messages. Notes, files, phone calls, news, requests. Is this really how we want to spend our lives?

“We are drinking from a fire hose of information, with no idea of how to reduce the flow,” says author Leo Babauta in his new book, The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential…in Business and in Life.

Here’s the good news. It’s indeed possible to find calm in the chaos, according to Babauta, that middle ground where we can enjoy access to the information we want, instant communication when we want it and the ability to accomplish what we need to.

Discovering what matters

It all comes down to choices, as The Power of Less describes a two-step process for simplicity: identify the essential and eliminate the rest by applying limitations to every aspect of your life.

Babauta uses the structure of haiku poetry to illustrate his point. The poet must carefully choose only the essential words and images needed to convey his or her idea. By applying limitations in order to force choices, some of the world’s most powerful and beautiful poetry is created.

If an area of your life is currently overwhelming you says Babauta, try applying limitations. Too many emails? Limit yourself to checking your in-box twice a day and responding to just five emails each time. Like the haiku writer, you’ll be forced to work more effectively.

The art of setting limits

The Power of Less effectively makes the case for limitations as the key to a more tranquil, productive existence. Here are just a few of the benefits of setting limits in one or more areas of your life:

• Focuses your energy

• Helps you achieve more

• Makes you more effective

• Sends a message to others that your time is important

Besides email, Babauta suggests setting limits on tasks like the time you spend on the phone, the number of projects on your plate and what’s currently on top of your desk. First, analyze your current usage, then pick a lower limit and test it out for one week. Adjust as needed, then continue to reinforce your new behavior until it becomes a habit.

The idea of setting limitations is the first of Babauta’s six “power of less principles,” which also include:

• Choosing the essential

• Simplifying

• Focusing

• Creating habits

• Starting small

The Power of Less reviews each of the six principles in detail, then explores practical tips for implementing these principles in the quest for a simpler and more rewarding professional and personal life.

The scourge of multi-tasking

The Power of Less advocates what Babauta called “single-tasking” — focusing on one thing at a time and working as simply as possible to preserve your mental health and improve your effectiveness. By doing less, you are actually becoming more powerful and more effective.

Some other tips for discovering the power of less:

Batch processing — Group together similar small tasks and tackle them all at once. Ideal tasks for batch processing include returning phone calls, running errands, conducting research and processing paperwork.

Working offline — Disconnect from the Internet when you need a block of seriously focused and uninterrupted time.

Personal peak time — Identify the time of day in which you are at your best and plan to handle important tasks during this period.

By internalizing The Power of Less, your life will be ruled by the moment instead of by the calendar. Now that’s a Zen habit!

Lisa Fahoury, Certified Business Communicator, is chief creative officer at NJ-based Fahoury Inc., a marketing communications firm that helps businesses create maximum impact. Reach her at (973) 324-2100 or lisa@fahouryink.com

 

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