I already agreed strongly with the thesis going in. There is also a Netflix original on Minimalists worth watching. Everything you say yes to is a de facto no to something else, possibly something you are already doing. Pareto Principle from 1896. 20% of our efforts create 80% of our results. Most things we do are superfluous and should be deprioritized in favor of high impact activities. The trick is in identifying which are the 20%, which takes time and space to consider. It helps to have a concrete and inspirational goal to refer to. Anything not advancing that goal you gracefully say no to. If it is not advancing the goal you halt activities - zero based budgeting, don’t be trapped by sunk costs or ownership biases (we value things we own more than we would pay to acquire them). If you are not 90% sure you should take on a task, or hire someone, then that is a no. It is important to protect your health and not over extend. It is important to prioritize your family and relationships - set boundaries. Build buffer and slack into your schedule, but keep a queue of things to work when you find extra time. Small wins reinforce good behavior, decompose your goals into small winnable tasks. Routine is very powerful, establish good routines through small wins. Sleep and Play are vital activities.
Essentialism