Stop Optimizing Your Life and Start Simplifying It
The Challenge Book Club #08 — Essentialism by Greg McKeown
I used to measure my worth by how much I could handle.
I was happy to accept another project. I was happy to juggle projects and attend as many meetings as I could. How late I could stay online, how early I could start, and how little sleep I could get away with. I wore my exhaustion like a badge. If I wasn’t overwhelmed, I wasn’t working hard enough.
Before the holidays, I was chasing a promotion. I was saying yes to everything — every request, meeting, quick favors, etc. I thought that’s what it took. That if I pushed harder, worked longer, and proved I could handle more, then I’d finally get there.
Instead, I got foggy. Slower. Resentful.
I’d come home too tired to talk to my partner. I was too drained to go out with friends and enjoy the life I was working so hard to build. And the worst part is that I wasn’t even doing good work anymore.
I was busy. Who’s not? Unfortunately, you can’t outwork a life that has too much in it. You can’t hustle your way out of overcommitment or grind your way into energy you don’t have anymore.
Essentialism by Greg McKeown taught me about subtraction. I read it a few years ago, but it got back to me when I noticed I was doing too much of everything. It’s a book about choosing what matters and letting the rest go — a modern view on productivity that many people reject.
Here’s what stuck with me and helped me get back to the life I loved.