This is the season that can become extremely hectic if we are not deliberate in what we choose to do.  There is shopping for Christmas, gathering with family and friends, school events and plays at church.

To stay productive at the highest level the essentialist believes in cutting out everything but the most important.  Her job is to filter out most everything.

The Model for Essentialism is:

Less but Better

The essentialist thinks:    I choose to.   Only a few things really matter.   What are the trade-offs?

He pauses to discern what really matters.  Says “no” a lot.

Chooses carefully in order to do great work.  Feels in control. Gets the right things done.  Experiences joy in the journey.

If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.

The Payoff

The reward for saying no, to almost everything is doing more of what really matters in work and life.  As you go through this very busy time of year choose what is the most important.

Question of the week:  What can you cut out of the life to do what is important?

Quote of the week:  “The way we measure productivity is flawed. People checking their BlackBerry over dinner is not the measure of productivity.” –  Timothy Ferriss