Book Review: The Power of Less by Leo Babauta
The Power of Less by Leo Babauta has 100% changed the way I approach my day. Too often, I wake up feeling stressed out about all of the nagging tasks I have on my to-do list for the day. Then I go to bed feeling guilty about all of the nagging tasks that I still haven’t accomplished and promise myself that I’ll do tomorrow.
The Power of Less is a powerful read because it asks you to evaluate what is really important in your life and to focus on the goals, projects, and tasks that align with those values. In the span of the next year or so, my three most important goals might look something like this:
- Ensuring that my students end the year prepared to enter pre-k
- Cultivating a strong relationship with parents and families
- Improving my personal health
But on a daily basis, I struggle to move closer to these goals. I promise myself that I will exercise daily, but instead of going for a run before work, I go into school early to work on a bulletin board. Instead of making positive phone calls home during nap time, I grade homework. My time is eaten up by unimportant tasks while the most important priorities are pushed to the side.
The Power of Less creates a framework that helps you define you priorities and take small steps toward your goals every day. For example, Babauta asks you to define your three most important tasks for the day as soon as you wake up. Ideally one or all of those tasks are related to your big goals. Then you focus on completing those tasks as early as possible in the day before you allow yourself to focus on other priorities. Simple, yet life changing! The book contains a number of tips and ways to simplify your day to become more productive.
I ordered this book for $.049 on Amazon, but if you aren’t into the idea of purchasing the book, be sure to check out Babauta’s blog The Power of Less that has tips on productivity, goal setting, and habit formation.
