There is an old story of a man riding very fast on a horse. As he rides past his friend standing on the side of the road, the friend yells, "Where are you going?" The rider turns toward his friend and yells, "I don't know, ask the horse!"

The pace and intensity of our lives, both at work and at home, leave many of us feeling like that person riding that frantically galloping horse. Our daily incessant busyness -- too much to do and not enough time; the pressure to produce and tick off items on our to-do list by each day's end -- seems to decide the direction and quality of our existence for us. But if we approach our days in a different way, we can consciously change this out-of-control pattern. It only requires the courage to do less. This may sound easy, but doing less can actually be very hard. Too often we mistakenly believe that doing less makes us lazy and results in a lack of productivity. Instead, doing less helps us savor what we do accomplish. We learn to do less of what is extraneous, and engage in fewer self-defeating behaviors, so we craft a productive life that we truly feel good about.

Just doing less for its own sake can be simple, startling, and transformative. Imagine having a real and unhurried conversation in the midst of an unrelenting workday with someone you care about. Imagine completing one discrete task at a time and feeling calm and happy about it. Imagine focusing on and appreciating whatever activity you are doing, without thinking about or worrying about what you will do next.

Every life has great meaning, but the meaning of our own can often be obscured by the fog of constant activity and plain bad habits. Recognize and change these, and we can again savor deeply the ways we contribute to the workplace, enjoy the sweetness of our lives, and share openly and generously with the ones we love. Less busyness leads to appreciating the sacredness of life. Doing less leads to more love, more effectiveness and internal calmness, and a greater ability to accomplish more of what matters most -- to us, and by extension to others and the world.

Instead of doing more, here are five activities in which to engage in less. These activities are:

• Fear - Begin to pay attention to and become friends with your fears. We all have fears. What fears get in your way, accelerate your sense of busyness, and hold you back from finding more meaning and satisfaction? You might consider beginning a regular meditation practice or going on retreat to better know and understand your fears. Experiment with naming your fears and developing new habits.

• Assumptions - We are brilliant assumption makers, but often our less-than-accurate assumptions, about ourselves and about others can be a hindrance to our happiness and our productivity. To reduce assumptions, find ways to get open and honest feedback from others. Pay attention to the information and feedback you are already receiving. Make small adjustments in your approach.

• Distractions - Though we enjoy certain kinds of distractions, the "other" kind, those that keep us from being focused and engaged, get in the way of our happiness and productivity. Experiment with staying focused - without checking emails, surfing the web, or answering phone calls. Have a clear vision of what you really want to accomplish. Write it down. Take regular breaks to refresh and recharge.

• Resistance - Everything changes. When we stop resisting what is and when we reduce grasping at what we have or want, we see that change is neither good nor bad. By accepting change you have more choice and more freedom - in not only what you do, but how you do it. Begin by noticing your resistance, the places where you are swimming against the current and getting in your own way.

• Busyness - There is a story about two Zen teachers from seventh-century China. One teacher is sweeping some stone steps inside the monastery with a wooden broom. He is approached by the other teacher, who looks at him and remarks, "Too busy." (This is a way of saying, "Why are you sweeping when you should be meditating or undertaking some type of contemplative practice?") The first teacher, holding his broom, responds by saying, "You should know that there is one who is not busy." In other words, in the midst of activity, we can always find a calm and connected center within ourselves.

Based on the book Less: Accomplishing More by Doing Less., © 2009 by Marc Lesser. Reprinted with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA. www.newworldlibrary.com or 800/972-6657 ext. 52.

Marc Lesser is CEO of ZBA Associates, an executive coaching and workshop company based in Northern California. His website is www.doingless.net.

Join our mailing list to receive Inspired Creations:

Link Back to Newsletter Archives

Visit creationsmagazine.com