{"id":2249,"date":"2009-01-07T05:00:27","date_gmt":"2009-01-07T13:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/getrichslowly.org\/blog\/?p=2249"},"modified":"2023-11-05T11:45:05","modified_gmt":"2023-11-05T18:45:05","slug":"book-review-the-power-of-less","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/book-review-the-power-of-less\/","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Less book review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Zen Habits<\/a> 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<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Babauta recently published his first book, The Power of Less<\/b><\/i><\/a>, which seeks to help readers become more efficient \u2014 and more relaxed at the same time \u2014 by limiting themselves only to the essential.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Six lessons<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Power of Less<\/i> 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”:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Set limitations.<\/b> By setting limitations, we must chose the essential. So in everything you do, learn to set limitations.<\/li>\n
  2. Choose the essential.<\/b> By choosing the essential, we create great impact with minimal resources. Always choose the essential to maximize your time and energy.<\/li>\n
  3. Simplify.<\/b> Eliminate the nonessential.<\/li>\n
  4. Focus<\/b> is your most important tool in becoming more effective.<\/li>\n
  5. Create new habits<\/b> to make long-lasting improvements.<\/li>\n
  6. Start small.<\/b> Start new habits in small increments to ensure success.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    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.<\/p>\n

    <\/span>The power of less<\/span><\/h2>\n

    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.<\/p>\n

    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<\/i>, and that frustrated me.<\/p>\n

    But I think the second section of the book is great<\/b>. 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<\/i>:<\/p>\n