Today I am reviewing new books written by two colleagues: Trent from The Simple Dollar and Leo from Zen Habits. As you read these reviews, please remember that I am friends with both authors.
Zen Habits is one of my favorite weblogs. For the past two years, Leo Babauta’s exploration of productivity and simple living has helped me make the most of my time. (Plus sometimes, like yesterday, he just hits it out of the park.)
Babauta recently published his first book, The Power of Less, which seeks to help readers become more efficient — and more relaxed at the same time — by limiting themselves only to the essential.
Six lessons
The Power of Less is divided into two sections. In the first, Babauta explores the six guiding principles of his philosophy, “the ideas that will help you to maximize your productivity while simplifying your life”:
- Set limitations. By setting limitations, we must chose the essential. So in everything you do, learn to set limitations.
- Choose the essential. By choosing the essential, we create great impact with minimal resources. Always choose the essential to maximize your time and energy.
- Simplify. Eliminate the nonessential.
- Focus is your most important tool in becoming more effective.
- Create new habits to make long-lasting improvements.
- Start small. Start new habits in small increments to ensure success.
The second section of the book offers practical tips for applying these six principles in various parts of your life: goals and projects, time management, e-mail, filing, daily routine, etc.
The power of less
The first section of this book disappointed me. Babauta’s six principles are good, but the chapters describing them are too long and the examples vague.
Babauta writes, “These days we consume information, food, and media at a breakneck pace that was unimagined two hundred years ago.” Maybe so (that’s my impression too), but I want a bit of research to back it up. This sort of book lends itself to facts and figures. There’s no research cited in The Power of Less, and that frustrated me.
But I think the second section of the book is great. It’s filled with ideas that I can use in my own life. As one who is completely overwhelmed by his work, the idea of doing more by working less appeals to me. As I read, I jotted down some techniques I can use to improve my own life today:
- Have only three active projects at a time, with all others waiting “on deck”. Finish all three projects, and then move three more projects to the active list.
- Every evening, create a list of three Most Important Tasks for the following day. Try to complete these as soon as possible, before you get distracted.
- Limit e-mail. Check only twice per day. (Babauta recommends 10am and 4pm.)
- If you’re leaving e-mail in your inbox because you need to do something, move the task to an external list. Get the task out of your inbox.
- Limit the length of your replies. Kris has been trying to convince me of this for months. When I reply to reader e-mail, I often want to write long, personal replies. This takes time. Although I’d like to write more, I’m going to try to limit myself to 3-4 sentences.
- Create a simple filing system. Get rid of stacks on your desk. I’m a “stacks” kind of guy, and often feel overwhelmed by them. I bought an accordion folder, and have been working to move my stacks to this.
- Learn to say “no”. This is a difficult one for me. For the past two years, I’ve been a proponent of the power of yes. I’ve achieved a lot by accepting the offers that have come my way. But now I’m finding I don’t have time to say “yes” to everything.
More or less?
As you might expect, The Power of Less is very much like a refined and extended version of Babauta’s blog, Zen Habits. This alone may tell you whether you’ll enjoy the book. I liked it, but do have some reservations.
For one, the book is tech-centric. The examples are great if you’re an office worker, but much less relevant if you have a blue-collar job or are a stay-at-home parent.
Also, at times the book feels like a group of unrelated parts instead of unified whole. For example, in one chapter Babauta encourages readers to focus on only one goal at a time. But in the next (and in the rest of the book), he writes of having multiple goals. Which is it? One goal or many?
Quibbles aside, I’m glad to have read The Power of Less. I’ve reached a point in my life where I’m questioning my priorities. Do I really want to spend 60 hours a week writing? How important is money relative to fitness and relationships? How can I find balance?
When I read The Power of Less on Christmas Day, it had quite an impact. Over the past two weeks, I’ve used its lessons to help me re-structure how I organize my time. I’m pleased with the changes. I have embraced the power of less — and so far it seems to be working.
Learn more about this book at the Power of Less website.
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I’ve had to critique friends in the past, and that was with their finances, so I know that it can be a daunting task J.D. I actually saw the book in Borders yesterday and started skimming the pages (although I didn’t buy it this time due to having only 1 40% off coupon and had a different book in hand). I agree with the title that many of the principles involved apply to both business and life. It is important to limit concurrent projects to a minimal amount since many people do lack the focus to complete even one. It also directly correlates to the start small theory, building upon each small success and gradually working toward larger and more involved undertakings. I read the e-mail point in another book somewhere (maybe the 4 hour workweek?) where you limit the time-consuming process of pouring over e-mails which can be a major distraction.
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I love Leo and his overall concept of “less is more” but this sounds more like a library loan than a purchase. I look forward to reading it on a lazy Sunday with a notepad by my side. I’m sure I could learn from it.
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Yeah, interesting. I’ve heard stats on the increasing flow of information, but never heard citations of studies. I wonder if there are any done in a concrete and scientific manner…
This is also the sub-title of Paradox of Choice – why more is less. So less is more, right? This is also touched on well in Kessler’s It’s Not About the Money, though not with the steps that you list here.
Hmm. That is a weird review – on one hand, I feel like you’re disappointed with the book, but on the other I think the individual parts were good and helpful for you. Many of the wealthier and more successful people I meet read or go to seminars with the attitude that “if I can find one new implementable idea, it will all be worth it.”
With so many steps you’re adding, wasn’t it worth it?
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@Jeremy M
Oh, I’m not disappointed with the book, really. I was just hoping for more based on Leo and Zen Habits. My expectations were high — perhaps unrealistically high. And yes, the book was well worth it, and has probably paid for itself already. Without The Power of Less, I wouldn’t have been able to implement the time-management system I’m using this year.
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J.D.
Nice review of the book. I too like facts and figures so I see where you are coming from.
I haven’t read the book myself, but I will wait until I’m either able to get it through the library or paperbackswap. If I REALLY like the book, I’ll then look into purchasing it. I’m frugal and that’s the way “I roll”.
Thanks for your insight on the book!
Cheers!
-HIB
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“Less is more” is gaining popularity. Maybe the current economic crisis teaches us that we don’t really need all the things that we think we need.
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I’d like to make an offer to your frugal readers … buy The Power of Less and I will give you one of three bonuses:
1. The Zen To Done ebook, usually a price of $9.50.
2. The Zen Habits Handbook for Life ebook, usually a price of $6.50.
3. An exclusive audio podcast of weight loss tips from me, packaged with a special audio interview — me interviewing GTD author David Allen.
Just send an email to zenhabits [at] gmail with the words “bonus giveaway” in the subject line and your order number, along with which of the three bonuses you’d like.
Sorry to throw this out there on your site, J.D. — I hope you don’t mind. I just thought your readers would appreciate a little extra value for their purchase.
Thanks everyone! Also check out my new audio interview with Merlin Mann of 43 Folders on Zen Habits today.
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Thanks for the review, J.D.! Appreciate the even-handed review, even though you’re friends with Leo. Looking forward to your review of Trent’s book, which I assume will be later today since it wasn’t in this post and you said you’re doing that one today, too! : )
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You bring up an interesting question — whether any objective research can show whether we really ARE consuming more and taking in increased information. More than who, where?
Thinking back on my misspent youth in the Cretaceous, I’d venture a guess that it’s not that we’re taking in more information, but that we’re exposed to different kinds of information in different ways.
Consider a hunter-gatherer in the woods or on the plains. The amount of information coming in to this individual is vast: the weather; the direction of the wind; the sounds and scents on the wind; the season, the altitude; the degree of sun, shade, & moisture; the positions of the sun, moon, and stars; the availability and location of drinkable water; the presence of other humans; the presence and habits of other predators; the presence and habits of grazing animals; the behavior of scavengers…and on and on. It’s a phenomenal amount of information, and the person needs to know how to handle that information with a high degree of sophistication and accuracy — just to survive. All of these elements are present in the hunter-gatherer’s daily life, and they all bear on his or her task of obtaining food and materials for building and maintaining living structures.
While today it seems as though young people and adults are blitzed with information — and static — pouring in from all directions, it seems that way because the information is louder and the static more intrusive. Rather than an irrelevant snap of a branch or unexpected shift of a breeze, the static comes to us as advertising delivered at high volume or the noise of a helicopter roaring overhead. It’s not more information; it’s just louder information.
Ditto the difference between life in the 1950s and life at the turn of the 21st century. We spent just much time gathering information: we read. I read all the time, and so did most of the people I knew. We got two newspapers a day,and we read them. When we weren’t reading, we were listening to the radio (we didn’t have TV where I lived), which was full of real information and real entertainment. Most radio stations were comparable to today’s NPR stations, only on steroids. We wrote and read letters. We talked on the phone. Life was quieter because the static was quieter: we didn’t have jet airplane or helicopter noise in the background every time we went outdoors (you know, the sky is not supposed to roar, unless a storm is in progress…). But the data stream was still there, in the form of print and handwritten material, advertising, radio programs, telephones, people talking, children hollering, dogs barking, cats yowling, birds singing, cars backfiring, mules braying…you name it.
My point is that quieter information is not less information. We live in a very noisy world…technology has turned up the volume on information. It’s more in your face, but it’s not necessarily more.
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“Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday.” I’ve been thinking about that quote lately.
I’ll read this book … I’m also curious about Ali Velshi’s new book, Gimme My Money Back. (Different topic, of course, but if we’re talking books today …)
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thanks for the book review jd.. i’ll check it out at borders sometime soon
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I have read other reviews about this book in the blogosphere as well. Seems like it has a lot of good points, not sure if it’s the book for me. I really respect your review especially since you come out and say you are friends with the authors.
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I think that living with less is so gratifying. My family has done it for years, not out of necessity, but because we care about our impact on the environment. Great review!
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Thanks for the review. I’m definitely going to read the book. Personally I’ve always struggled with the check email only twice a day recommendation. I work in the business of having clients, and my clients are the fuel to my business. So, it’s very difficult for me to do this, but at the same time, my attachment to my inbox kills me.
Suggestions?
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I am going to email less often like JD- shorter and start deleting the quantity of jokes/”news”/information that is basically useless and time cluttering. I often do write a short list of tasks the night before or on the way to work -but I need to remember to keep the list in front of me- and accomplish. And I hope to have less drama in my worklife(like they say Obama does)
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re simple filing: I’m a “stacks” person also…and over the past few months, I’ve found this very old fashioned “tickler file” system to be a great assist:
http://www.synergyinstituteonline.com/detail_article.php?artid=303
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I have not read the book but I plan to. Question about the 6 guiding principles. It seems like the first three are redundant.
Number 1 states: Set limitations. By setting limitations, we must chose the essential. But this is principle 2, Choose the essential. And by choosing the essential, one automatically eliminates the nonessential, which is principle 3 or simplify.
Wouldn’t it be easier to wrap all that into one? Simply limit to essentials. I understand the need to break things down but based on principle number 3 of simplify, I think it can all be reduced to 1 main principle. Hope that makes sense.
Mark
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I enjoyed this review, but I’m a little stymied by the email-twice-a-day regime. I can and will commit to cutting down the non-work email traffic I recieve and generate. However, I feel it’s important for me to check it often, as I work in for a technical company, on a project with team players that are located internationally, and some of my coworkers and suppliers preferred method of communicating is email. Alot of their questions need fast answers. Also, with this program, sending an email is the way to keep records that you did send ‘the info’, if a problematic situation arises.
Like Billy, I am not enthusiastic about the amount of time I spend with my inbox. I second his request for suggestions.
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Efficiency is key to economic prosperity. Take notice Government.
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Thomas at #19 is absolutely correct, and I think this is something that should get more attention, but doesn’t seem to come up that often.
It takes a certain amount of effort to build things (or grow them or cook them or write them, or whatever). If we want nicer things than we had before, it stands to reason that we’ll have to invest more time to create them than we used to. This costs us leisure time, and at some point we hit a limit. We can either sacrifice the quality of our work, and therefore the efficiency of our homes, the safety of our cars, the taste of our food, the quality of our health care, and the entertainment from our writing…
OR:
We can work more efficiently. We can have better things, and keep our leisure time, or even increase it. Improving efficiency is the key to this and it’s the only way we’ll end up with shorter workweeks, short of sacrificing our quality of life.
It’s not really on-topic as far as the book review goes, but Thomas brought it up and I think it’s interesting.
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“I work in the business of having clients, and my clients are the fuel to my business. So, it’s very difficult for me to do this, but at the same time, my attachment to my inbox kills me.”
I definitely hear you — most of us feel this need to check email and respond quickly, as we feel our jobs depend on it.
But do you think your clients/co-workers can’t wait half a day or a day for a response? That’s rarely the case — when we send emails to most people, we don’t expect an instant reply.
I’ve been emailing some top bloggers recently, for example, and sometimes they don’t get back to me for a few days or even a week … and that’s OK with me, because I know they’re busy and respect their time.
So I think it’s first important to recognize that most people don’t expect us to respond instantly … and for those who do, we need to provide them with a phone number or other way of getting in touch asap.
Once we realize that we don’t need to respond right away, that we can wait half a day or a day (or even two or three sometimes), we can be liberated from our attachment to email. I know how difficult this can be, believe me.
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@Tyler: Actually, your comment is perfectly relevant to the review of my book, as it’s exactly what the book is about to a large degree. Spot on.
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“Check your email twice a day” is definitely not advice that is great if you’re an office worker!
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@mythago: I realize that it’s not advice that works for every office worker — which is why they’re suggestions, not mandates, and I tell people to find the tips that apply best to their lives.
However … many, many office workers (including myself) have put this into practice with great benefit. It depends on the job, of course, but often you’ll find that you don’t really need to check email as much as you think you do.
And more importantly, you learn that if you wean yourself from email, you can get more important stuff done. It’s amazing how much you can get done if you learn to focus and block out distractions like email.
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Leo – Thanks for responding. Well, I bought your book and am planning on giving it a try. Am I ready to check email twice a day, probably not. Maybe I can start with four times or so instead of staring at it all day.
Regardless, I’m planning on changing some habits to improve my life. Looking forward to reading the book.
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@Billy Fischer: Great! Thanks for buying the book – much appreciated.
As for the specific number of times you check email … it’s not as important as setting limits and times to check email (instead of being inside your inbox all the time). You really have to find the limits that work best for you, as you’ll see in the book.
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I’m a frequent reader of Zenhabits, and I love its teachings on simplifying and discipline. It definitely builds quality of life.
On the downside, I don’t find it to often address concern for others besides self, or the building of real character, above and beyond seeking an easier, more pleasant life. For me, those are big things to overlook.
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Some of the advice sounds impractical – many of our lives are made of a zillion projects, both home/domestic, professional, and communal if you’re involved in volunteer activities.
I do find 2 things centering. One is the OHIO concept, Only Handle it Once. Go through your mail? Get rid of all the junk on the spot, take the relevant docs out of the envs, and put them where they need to go, all at once. At least then the piles are already “processed”, even if you have a “i need to look at this” pile.
My second simplifying strategy is shopping at Costco. We just went for a new TV. My husband had done a lot of basic research and then we relied on Costco, knowing that their market research is a lot more sophisticated than ours and that any affordable option TV in the size he wanted was already vetted. The purchase took 10 minutes. In a big electronics store or online with a gazillion viable options, you spend way too much time on insignificant decisions.
This is backed up by research in Barry Schwartz’s book, The Paradox of Choice.
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I find that there’s a huge difference between saying “I should be happy” and actually being happy. That is, it’s one thing to say fluffy words like “Simplify your life! Make time for the essentials!”, and quite another to actually effect those changes.
I have a well-paying job, a caring wife, a beutiful 16mo old daughtor, and everything I could possibly need to be happy, and yet at times I still “want”. Mostly I “want” a bigger house in a more desirable part of town, but I also “want” to spend more time skiing, “want” to have more time to work on my hobbies, “want” to go on more, longer, and better vacations…
It’s not just as simple as saying “I’m done wanting, its time to be happy with what I have.”
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I would also like to ignore my Inbox for half a day, but it’s kind of hard when I do technical support and some of the work arrives via email.
I get where Leo is coming from though and if I was working in another role I would definitely be tempted to only check email two times a day.
My main distraction is Internet News Addiction. I’m getting better though, since I started blogging I’m not so inclined to go from news web site to news web site.
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I’m a semi-regular reader and noticed that saying No is hard for you. If you haven’t read it already, you might want to check out The Power of a Positive No by the folks at the Harvard Program on Negotiation (they wrote Getting to Yes, Difficult Conversations, and several other super-helpful books). I used to have a hard time saying No, but I find it much easier when I think of it their way (that I’m saying no in order to say Yes to an underlying value, and that saying No isn’t necessarily saying No to the relationship — I can still say Yes to that). Anyway, it’s a quick read and definitely worth a few hours.
Thanks for your awesome blog – I’ve learned a ton since I started reading it!
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