
Learning to say “no” is a vital skill to learn if you haven’t mastered it yet. This leads to mediocrity and a lack of timely progression. Then, we end up having way too much going on. We go on autopilot and end up agreeing to most things, oftentimes because we feel it is the polite thing to do.

We very often say “yes” to a lot of the items that come our way.

I am more considerate of the activities I take on and how they fit my current schedule and workload.By doing so, you will succeed in what matters. Wholeheartedly devote your time and attention. His view is that in order to produce quality outcomes, we must remove the nonessential items that slow us down. He applies it to the use of our time and the number of activities we take on.

Greg McKeown takes the saying “less is more” to a new level. I was following the ideology of “try out everything until something produces a result.” In reality, I wasn’t progressing much in any direction and by following this idea, I was scattering my energy and time throughout way too many places. At the time I was taking on a lot of tasks and projects, many of which were not essential to me. The Essentialism provided me with a fresh, new perspective regarding time management and, ultimately, triggered a reevaluation of my decision-making process and time utilization. To cope with these struggles, however, I have caught myself turning to certain ideas or learnings I gained in the book. Daily, I have to juggle my commitments to my family, friends, work, and my studies. I have recently felt myself struggling to gain control over my time. How would someone else prioritize my own life? And why? One of the first things said about the quote was a direct quote: “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” This certainly caught my attention. I first learned about Greg McKeown and his books while listening to one of my favorite podcasts Feel Better, Live More. The book is an essential read for anyone trying to simplify their life by removing the excess load off their shoulders. Essentialism, by Greg McKeown, is anything but. To some, this may seem like just another self-help book, like just another book you’ll buy and then leave somewhere in the house.
