Gmail Zen: Clean Out Your Inbox

 I use Gmail exclusively for email, and it constitutes a major part of my two day jobs. I get a fair amount of email each hour, and I am pretty quick at responding.

However, one thing you’ll notice about my Gmail inbox is that it is just about always empty.

It gives me a Zen feeling to have a clean inbox, a feeling of peace and calm and satisfaction. I highly recommend it to everyone. I wasn’t always like this — I had many emails in my inbox in the past. They would sit in there, sometimes unread, sometimes just waiting on an action, sometimes waiting to be filed, and others just waiting because I was procrastinating. I also had many folders for filing my email, so I could find them when I needed them. It would take me awhile to file sometimes, so I would put it off. Many people I know are the same way.

Here are my simple steps to achieving Email Zen:

1) Don’t check email first thing in the morning, or have it constantly on. This is a tip offered by many blogs, so nothing new here. Checking email first thing will get you stuck in email for awhile. Instead, do your most important thing for the day, or the thing you’ve been procrastinating on the most. Then check email. Better yet, do 2 or 3 things first. Also, if you are constantly checking email throughout the day, or it notifies you as soon as an email comes in, you will be constantly distracted and not able to focus on the task before you. I check once an hour, but you might have different needs.

2) When you check your email, dispose of each one, one at a time, right away. Make a decision on what needs to be done on each email.

2a) Is it junk or some forwarded email? Trash it immediately.

2b) Is it a long email that you just need to read for information? File it in a Read folder (or tag it Read and archive) or print it to read on the road (while waiting in line, for example).

2c) If the email requires action, make a note of the action on your to-do or GTD lists to do later. Also note to check the email for info if necessary. Then archive the email. You can easily find it later when you need to do that task.

2d) If you can respond to it in a minute or two, do so immediately. Don’t put it off. If you wait, you’ll end up with a backlog of emails to respond to, and you may never get around to it. I respond quickly, with a short note, and send it right away. That way I’m viewed as responsive and on top of things.

2e) If you need to follow up on the email later, or are waiting for a response, note it on a Waiting For list. Don’t just leave it in your inbox as a reminder.

3) I have only one folder: Archive. When I respond to an email, or finish reading it if it doesn’t need response, or note it on my to-do list, I archive it. Simple as that. You could add a Read folder if you want. I usually print longer ones to read later, like during lunch or while waiting for something. Other people have an Action folder or a Waiting For folder, but I find that that’s just an additional inbox that you have to constantly check. I don’t like to check extra folders. I have my to-do lists and my Waiting For list, and that’s good enough. So it’s as simple as pressing “Archive” on an email, and if I need to find it later, Gmail’s search is so good that it’s easy to find. I’ve never had any problems with this system.

Email Zen is that easy: check email at regular periods, take action on each email right away (or note it on a list to do later) and archive.

Ahhh. Empty inbox!

3 Easy Steps to a Permanently Clear Desk

 Once upon a time, my desk was cluttered with all the things I was currently working on — not to mention dozens of things I wasn’t working on: notes, post-its, phone numbers, papers to be filed, stacks of stuff to work on later. I was too busy to organize it, and if I ever did get it cleared, it would pile up soon after.

It’s a different story today. These days, my desk is always clear, except for the one thing I’m working on, and perhaps a notebook and pen for jotting down notes, ideas or to-dos as they come up. It’s a liberating feeling … it calms me … it reduces stress and chaos … it definitely makes things easier to find … and it makes me more efficient and productive.

How did I make the transformation? Well, it wasn’t an easy journey, and I’ve improved over the years, but the basic steps are outlined below. The important thing to remember is that you must have a system in place, and you must teach yourself to follow the system. Otherwise, you just clean your desk, and it gets messy again.

Here’s the system:

1. First, take everything on your desk and in your drawers, and put them in one big pile. Put it in your “in basket” (if it doesn’t fit, pile it next to your desk or something). From now on, everything that comes in must go in your in basket, and you process everything as below.

2. Process this pile from the top down. Never re-sort, never skip a single piece of paper, never put a piece of paper back on the pile. Do what needs to be done with that paper, and then move on to the next in the pile. The options: trash it, delegate it, file it, do it, or put it on a list to do later. In that order of preference. Do it if it takes 2 minutes or less to complete. If it takes more, and you can’t trash, delegate or file it, then put it on a list of to-dos (more on your to-do list in another post).

3. Repeat at least once daily to keep desk clear. The end of the day is best, but I tend to process and tidy up as I go through the day. Once you’ve processed your pile, your desk is clear. You’ve trashed or filed or somehow put everything where it belongs (not on top of your desk or stashed in a drawer). Keep it that way. You must follow the system above: put everything in your inbox, then take action on each piece of paper in the inbox with one of the steps listed. If an item is on your to-do list, you can keep the paper associated with it in an “Action” folder. But you must regularly (daily or weekly) go through this folder to ensure that everything is purged.

It’s that simple. Have a phone number on a post-it? Don’t leave it on top of your desk. File it in your rolodex or contacts program. Have something you need to work on later? Don’t keep the papers on top of your desk. Put it on your to-do list, and file the papers in your Action folder. File or trash or delegate everything else.

Leaving stuff on top of your desk is procrastination (and as a procrastinator, I should know). If you put it off until later, things will be sure to pile up on your desk. Deal with them immediately, make a decision, take action.

What I’ve described is a good habit to learn, but it takes time to learn it. You’ll slip. Just remind yourself, and then do it. Soon it’ll be a habit you have a hard time breaking. And trust me, once you’re used to your desk being clear, you won’t want to break this habit.

The Speculative World Building Template

1. The Physical Foundation (The "Where")

Before you populate the world, you need to understand the constraints of the terrain.

• Geography & Climate: Is it a single-biome world (like an ice planet) or diverse? How do mountains, oceans, or toxic wastes dictate where people live?

• Celestial Context: How many suns or moons are there? How does the day/night cycle or seasonal shift affect biology?

• The "Weird" Factor: What is the one physical law that differs from our world? (e.g., floating continents, a world where it never stops raining, or a planet with a vertical "up-down" gravity shift).

2. The Power Structure (The "Who")

Setting is defined by who holds the keys to the kingdom.

• Governance: Is it a crumbling empire, a corporate technocracy, or a loose collection of magic-wielding tribes?

• The Economy: What is the most valuable resource? Is it "Spice," mana, fresh water, or data? Whoever controls this resource controls the setting.

• Social Hierarchy: Who is at the top, and who is at the bottom? How does a person move between these layers (if they can at all)?

3. The Rules of Reality (The "How")

Whether it’s Magic or Tech, the "system" must be consistent.

• The Magic/Tech System: What are the costs? (e.g., using magic drains physical stamina, or FTL travel causes premature aging).

• Infrastructure: How do people get around? Think about the difference between a world connected by ancient "stargates" versus one reliant on horse-drawn wagons.

---

4. The Daily Grind (The "Vibe")

This is where you find the sensory details that create immersion.

• Architecture & Aesthetics: Do people live in brutalist concrete bunkers or organic tree-cities? What do the textures feel like?

• Taboos & Traditions: What is considered a grave insult? What does this society celebrate, and what do they fear?

• The "Old World": What lies beneath the surface? Every great setting has "ruins"—the remnants of those who came before.

5. The Environmental Conflict (The "Why")

Finally, connect the setting back to your plot.

• Current Instability: Is the world dying, expanding, or undergoing a revolution?

• The Pressure Point: What part of the environment is currently making life difficult for your protagonist? (e.g., a looming "Long Winter" or a solar flare threatening the power grid).

---

How to use this: Try to answer just three of these points in detail today. Once you have those, the rest of the world often begins to reveal itself through logical necessity.

Ideas to Save Money

 So you want to try the frugal lifestyle.  It will take simplifying your life and cutting back on little things, one at a time. And while there are definitely many more things you can scrimp and save on, these are some quick ideas.  Here’s how to save money:

1) Cut your own hair. I bought a $20 buzzer, and it lasts about a year. I used to get a haircut every month, at a cost of $20 (including tip, not including gas money to get there and valuable time spent there). So I save the cost of about 11 haircuts a year. I do the same for my three sons, saving another 36 haircuts (at $10 each). Annual savings: $580.

2) No Cable TV. You can watch almost every TV show you like on the internet now.  Also try watching DVDs or reading. DVD's are inexpensive now (especially if you rent or borrow them). Cable costs about $65/month. Annual savings: $780.

3) Became vegan. Eat fresh fruits and veggies, which are expensive, sure, but you are supposed to eat those whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or a carnivore, so I don’t count those as extra expenses. The real comparison is between meat, and the protein substitutes you use. Most of your protein will come from tofu, although you can eat beans and soy protein such as fake ground beef or soy burgers. Overall I believe you will save about $2-3 per day not eating meat. Annual savings: $900.

4) Don’t use the gym. I used to be a member of a gym. Didn’t use it much, and still got charged for a full year. Now I get a lot of exercise, but I do it at home and on the road. I do strength exercises in my living room and jog (and will soon start cycling and swimming). Annual savings: $420.

5) Rarely go to the movies. I used to go out to the movies at least once a week, and sometimes more. I slowly made it every other week, and now I don’t even go once a month. Now we take the kids to the park or out to do something more fun and creative. I figure this saves us at least $15 per week, although it’s probably more when you factor in the cost of my kids’ tickets, and concessions.Annual savings: $780.

6) Quit smoking. I quit about 20 years ago, but if you haven't this can be a huge savings. If you smoked a pack a day, plus a soda or tea or coffee to go with the cigarettes, at a cost of about $9 per day. Annual savings: $3,200.

7) Don’t drink much. I never did, still don't. But for some people, drinking is a major expense. A beer or two a day can add up, and for the sake of these calculations, I’ll count it. Annual savings: $800.

8) Never go out. Don’t go to clubs, or the theater, or ballet, or opera. This is an extreme and won't work for some people.  At least consider cutting back.  Annual savings: maybe $500.

9) Stay healthy. If you are a vegan, a runner, and don’t drink or smoke anymore, you may never have to go to the doctor.  If you keep up this lifestyle, your likelihood of getting the most common diseases are greatly lowered. Annual savings: probably $1,200.

10) Don’t go shopping. We used to hang out at the mall a lot. It was convenient, and had a lot of great stuff to look at, and a food court. The food court alone costs $30 for us, and if we bought stuff that would be another $25-75. Cha-ching. Now I rarely ever, ever, ever go to the mall. I hate it anyway. I only go to the mall or Kmart if I need something, and even then I try my best to avoid it. Annual savings: probably $2,600.

11) Try to be a single car family. Even if you are a married couple with six kids, soccer practice, choir, school functions, many many family gatherings, running events, martial arts, and much more. You can get by on one car. Look to get a used van with better fuel economy, and consider commuting at least a few times a week by bike. Annual savings: unknown, but perhaps $5,000.

12) Bring your own lunch. Your co-workers eat out every day, at a cost of $8-20 per lunch. I bring leftovers or a sandwich and fruits and pretzels and stuff. At a cost of probably less than $5. Annual savings: $1,800.

13) No magazine or newspaper subscriptions. I used to have the paper delivered. Now I read it online or at work. I used to subscribe to 1-2 magazines. Now I read the Internet. Annual savings: $360.

14) Rarely buy new clothes. Buy what you need, not what catches your eye in the store (another reason to stay out of the mall).  Annual savings: maybe $400.

15) Rarely travel. We would all like to travel. When you are out of debt and your savings accounts are nice and healthy, then travel. But for now, skip it. Others take at least a trip per year. Annual savings: $1,500.

16) No more lattes. Many of us get a latte every day. At a cost of about $4 per latte. Sometimes you get two. Make your own coffee. Annual savings: about $1,000.

There are more little ways that you can learn to save, like buying books at a used book store, cooking most of your meals (aside from the above-mentioned lunches), power-saving measures, no long distance calls. There are also ways you can still save, including eating out less (eat out 1-3 times per week, mostly fast food like pizza or Taco Bell or Wendy’s, all of which I can do without).

Estimated total savings: $22,000.

Now, I’m not sure if most people spend the full amounts listed above, or if I ever did. But at some point, I did come close, and I think many people do as well. But however you look at it, there are ways to save money. Does this all go into savings? Of course not. Choose two of the above or ten, either way you will start saving money!

The Importance of Setting

The Art of World Building

In speculative fiction, the setting isn’t just a backdrop; it is a living, breathing character that dictates the logic of the entire story. Whether it’s the sprawling, moss-covered ruins of a forgotten kingdom or the sterile, neon-drenched corridors of a deep-space station, the environment provides the essential "rules of engagement" for the reader. 

The Foundation of Internal Logic 

In realism, writers rely on shared experiences. In Fantasy and Science Fiction (SFF), however, the author must build a world from the ground up. This process, often called worldbuilding, establishes the laws of physics, magic, and society. 

• Fantasy: If a mountain is sentient, it changes how a protagonist plans a journey. 
• Sci-Fi: If a planet has triple the gravity of Earth, it changes how characters move, build, and fight. 

Without a well-defined setting, the stakes feel hollow. If the reader doesn't understand the limitations of the world, they won't understand the magnitude of the hero’s triumph. 

Setting as Conflict 

In SFF, the environment is frequently the primary antagonist. In Frank Herbert’s Dune, the desert isn't just where the story happens; it is the source of the conflict, the religion, and the economy. The scarcity of water drives every character's motivation. When the setting is integrated into the plot, it forces characters to make difficult choices. A ship’s failing life-support system in a hard sci-fi novel creates a unique kind of tension that a simple "ticking clock" in a contemporary thriller cannot replicate.

Reflecting Themes and Emotion 

Setting also serves as a visual metaphor for the story's themes. A crumbling, gothic castle in a dark fantasy might represent the decay of an old empire. Conversely, a utopian "solarpunk" city might represent hope and human ingenuity. By carefully crafting the atmosphere—the smells of a Martian market or the bioluminescent glow of an alien forest—writers ground the "impossible" in sensory detail, making the fantastic feel visceral and real. 

The Cultural and Sociopolitical Blueprint 

Beyond the physical landscape, setting in SFF encompasses the invisible architecture of culture, religion, and politics. In a secondary world, the environment dictates how a society evolves. A civilization living in a subterranean cave system will have a vastly different vocabulary, mythology, and social hierarchy than one living on floating islands. When a writer invests in the "macro" setting—the history of a fallen empire or the trade laws of a galactic federation—they provide a sense of verisimilitude. This depth prevents the world from feeling like it was created five minutes before the protagonist walked into the room. It suggests a "lived-in" quality where characters are products of their environment, carrying the biases, traditions, and traumas of their specific geography. 

The "Sense of Wonder" and Aesthetic 

Identity In science fiction and fantasy, the setting often provides the "Sense of Wonder" that defines the genre. This is the "Big Idea" translated into a visual or sensory experience. 

• The Sublime: Seeing a ringed planet fill the sky or witnessing a city built on the back of a giant wandering beast. 
• The Juxtaposition: High-tech cybernetics in a low-life slum (Cyberpunk) or steam-powered airships in a Victorian landscape (Steampunk).

These aesthetic choices aren't just for "cool factor." They establish the tonal contract with the reader. A setting filled with bright, gleaming spires suggests an optimistic "Golden Age" sci-fi tone, whereas a world of endless rain and smog prepares the reader for a noir-inspired deconstruction of corporate greed. 

Ecology as a Narrative Engine 

Modern SFF increasingly uses ecology as a central pillar of setting. No longer is the forest just "the woods"; it is a complex ecosystem with its own predatory cycles and symbiotic relationships. In "Hard" Science Fiction, this might involve calculating orbital mechanics or the chemical composition of an atmosphere to see if a human could actually survive. In Fantasy, this might mean designing a magic system that functions like a natural resource—one that can be depleted, polluted, or fought over. When the setting has its own biological or magical metabolism, it creates organic plot points. The characters don't just move through the world; they are part of its food chain or its energy cycle. 

Why It Matters 

Ultimately, a strong setting facilitates immersion. It allows the reader to step out of their own reality and into a space where the impossible is probable. When the setting is neglected, the story feels like a stage play with cardboard cutouts; when it is prioritized, the world remains in the reader's mind long after the final page is turned. Setting is the anchor that keeps the "balloon" of high-concept ideas from drifting into incoherence. By grounding a story in a specific, tangible place, the author earns the reader's trust. If the reader can smell the ozone of a malfunctioning warp drive or feel the chill of a cursed mountain pass, they will believe in the dragons and the starships.

Flaws - We All Have Them

Character flaws that enhance relatability often mirror real-world human vulnerabilities, making a character feel accessible and "real" to readers. These flaws are typically categorized into minor quirks, major personality obstacles, or tragic "fatal" flaws that drive the plot. 

Common Internal & Emotional Flaws

These are some of the most effective for building reader empathy as they highlight universal internal struggles:

• Insecurity and Self-Doubt: A character who second-guesses their abilities or constantly compares themselves to others.
• Anxiety: Excessive worry or being "paralyzed" by a fear of the unknown.
• Impulsiveness: Acting without considering consequences, which often leads to believable mistakes.
• Perfectionism: An obsessive need for everything to be perfect, which often stems from a fear of failure or judgment.
• Stubbornness: A refusal to change or admit when they are wrong, creating natural friction in relationships. 

Minor Quirks and Behavioral Flaws

Small, everyday imperfections help "ground" a character in reality:

• Clumsiness: Being uncoordinated or accident-prone.
• Absentmindedness: Forgetting small details, misplacing keys, or being frequently late.
• Messiness: A lack of organization in their personal or professional life.
• Poor Social Skills: Being awkward, shy, or struggling to communicate effectively with others. 

Major Narrative Flaws

These traits often serve as the primary internal obstacles the character must overcome for growth:

• Arrogance or Hubris: Overestimating one's own importance or abilities, leading to a "fall".
• Jealousy: A deep-seated fear of losing something or someone, often rooted in past trauma.
• Selfishness: Prioritizing personal desires over the needs of others, which can be redeemed through a character arc.
• Over-independence: Believing they must do everything themselves, which leads to isolation and burnout.

Why Flaws Create Relatability

• Humanity: Perfect characters are often perceived as boring or unrealistic; flaws prove a character is "human".
• Backstory Connection: Flaws are often evidence of past struggles or trauma, providing a reason for the character's behavior.
• Growth Potential: Weaknesses create a "growth arc," allowing readers to root for the character as they attempt to improve.

The Lazy Manifesto: Do Less. Then, Do Even Less.

 “Practice not-doing and everything will fall into place.” - Lao Tzu

How many of us don’t get lazy every now and then? Of course, some of us get lazy more than others — my mom (always a hard worker) once told me she gets lazy, but then she just does the work anyway. I replied, “Mom, that’s not lazy! That’s the opposite of lazy!”

Lazy is often seen as a bad thing, but I disagree. Lazy is an amazing thing.

Here’s just a few reasons why:

1. Lazy means that your body and mind are tired and want to rest. That’s a sign that you should actually rest. When you ignore these signs, that leads to burnout. So rest, and feel good about it!


2. Lazy means you don’t want to work too hard, which often leads to figuring out how to do less work. Just about all of the advances in technology come from laziness: we drive cars instead of walking because we’re too lazy to walk, we use washing machines because we’re too lazy to do it by hand, we use computers because writing things out by hand is hard. Of course, reliance on machines isn’t a good thing, but using laziness to figure out better ways to do things is a good thing.


3. Lazy people don’t start wars. Who wants to go through all the trouble to fight a war? Peace and friendliness is much easier.

“Simple Productivity” has been the motto of Zen Habits from its early days (even though I talk about a lot of other things as well) … and today I’d like to set out the reasons “Do Less” is one of my Four Commandments, and why it’s the ultimate extension of Simple Productivity.

Do Less: The Ultimate Simple Productivity

It may seem paradoxical that Do Less can mean you’re more productive — and if you define “productive” as meaning “get more done” or “do more”, then no, Do Less won’t lead to that kind of productivity.

But if instead you define “productivity” as a means of making the most of your actions, of the time you spend working (or doing anything), of being as effective as possible, then Do Less is the best way to be productive.

Consider: I can work all day in a flurry of frenetic activity, only to get a little done, especially when it comes to lasting achievement. Or I can do just a couple things that take an hour, but those are key actions that will lead to real achievement. In the second example, you did less, but the time you spent counted for more.

Let’s take the example of a blogger: I can write a dozen posts that really say nothing, mean nothing, but take up my entire day … or I can write one post that affects thousands of people, that really reaches to the heart of my readers’ lives, and takes me 1.5 hours to write. I did less, but made my words and time count for more.

If you’re lazy, as I often am, then the choice is simple. Do Less.

But do it smartly: Do Less, but make every action count. Send fewer emails, but make them important. Write fewer words, but make each word essential. Really consider the impact of every action you take, and see if you can eliminate some actions. See if you can achieve a great impact doing less.

This doesn’t mean “less is more”. It means “less is better”.

Do Less: Of Everything

But Do Less means much more than being productive. It goes to the heart of everything we do, of our society. Do Less is nothing less than a two-word manifesto for living.

Here’s how the two-word manifesto of “Do Less” can change everything:

1. Do Less buying. If you spend less, shop less, acquire less, then you will own less, need less, get into less debt, be in better financial shape, have less clutter, and have more time for things that are truly important.

2. Do Less busy-work. Instead of running around doing lots of little things, slow down. Do Less. Live a calmer, more peaceful life. Be content to sit, to do nothing. Relax a little. Smile and be happy.

3. Do Less managing. If you are in a position of authority over others, whether it’s as a manager, executive, or parent … the less you do the better. Many people over-manage, or over-parent. This gives their employees, or children, very little freedom, room for creativity, room to learn on their own, to succeed and fail. The less you do, the more others will figure out how to do things. Do little things to guide and teach, but for the most part, back off and let them be.

4. Do Less communicating. Less talking, less yelling, less arguing, less emails and IM and Twittering, less phone calling. While I think communication is extremely important, and should be one of the keys to any relationship, I also think we do it too much. Especially as most of it becomes nothing but jabbering at each other, with very little actual listening. It is noise. Let silence into your life. Let stillness pervade our minds. When you do communicate, make it count, make it sincere, and more than you talk, listen. Make every email count. Only IM when it’s necessary. Spend less time on the phone and Twitter and Blackberry and iPhone, and more time with humans, more time with yourself, more time in the present.

5. Do Less complaining and criticizing. I won’t rant about how these two things can drag down you and those around you … but instead will say that if you did less of these two things, your life would be better. And we all do them — fess up! I do, and I try to do less of it. Instead, do more kindness, compassion, understanding, accepting, loving.

6. Do Less planning and worrying and future thinking. Spend more time in the moment. We worry too much, and it does us no good. We think about things that haven’t happened, instead of what’s happening now (and yes, I know that’s the name of an old sitcom). And while some planning is necessary, too much of it is a waste of time — there’s no way to predict the future, and trying to control every little thing that’s going to happen is futile. Learn to go with the flow, look for opportunities, find the natural path of things, and do what is needed in the moment. You can’t control outcomes, but if you learn to work more fluidly (instead of rigidly following plans), you can get to outcomes that are good.

7. Do Less judging and expecting. Acceptance is something I’m trying to learn to do more. And that means I need to be less judgmental, and stop having expectations from everything and everybody. If you have no expectations, and don’t judge things, you can accept them. And acceptance leads to peace, leads to happiness. So when you find yourself judging, think “Do Less Judging”. When you find yourself expecting someone to be a certain way, think “Do Less Expectations”. People won’t disappoint you that way, because you’ll learn to accept them as they are, and learn that they are already perfect, as they are.

“Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” - Lao Tzu

How to Do Less

If you are sold on the two-word manifesto — Do Less — you might be saying to yourself, “Self, that sounds good, but how exactly do I go about doing less?” It’s simple:

1. Do Less. Yes, it really is that simple. Do Less. Take how much you usually do, and Do Less than that. If you’re smart, you’ll naturally choose the more essential things to do, but it’s possible that you won’t, and you’ll just choose whatever is easy or convenient or fun. That’s OK. Go with that. Eventually you’ll probably have to do the important stuff, because it probably has to be done sometime. Or maybe you won’t, and you’ll end up getting nothing done. Then you’ll think to yourself, “Self, there has to be a better way. Either I have to go back to doing more, or I have to choose more wisely in what I do.”

2. Then Do Even Less. If you followed the first step, and you’re now doing less than you were before, congratulate yourself! Pat yourself on the back! Celebrate by going to take a nap. Now, when you’re ready to get started again, try to do even less than you were doing in Step 1 above. Pare some of your actions down. Look for more fat to trim. See if some things really aren’t as necessary as you thought they were. Pass some things on to others, automate other things, delay on still others, and get out of doing still others by calling up someone or emailing them and explaining, “I’m sorry, I just can’t do as much as I originally planned.” Now you’re doing less than before!

Repeat. Keep doing less until you’re doing almost nothing. When you’ve reached that point, congratulations! You’re a master. When you can get by with doing nothing at all, you’ve reached Nirvana and enlightenment and you should really be teaching me instead of the other way around. Feel free to come write a guest post for Zen Habits when you’ve reached this state!

Some other ideas to consider when learning to Do Less:

• Go with the flow. Imagine the effort required to swim upstream compared to moving with the flow of a river. If you go with the flow of things, rather than against them, you will naturally do less, and with less effort.


• Don’t force things. A common mistake — trying to hard, forcing something that doesn’t want to be forced, forcing people to do things they don’t want to do. A lot of effort, action, and time is wasted. Instead, find a smoother way — think of water, which flows around things rather than trying to force its way through them.


• Find the pressure points. In martial arts, instead of using maximum force, you are wise to find the points in the body where less force can be used to greater effect, whether that’s to cause pain or imbalance or some other effect. Well, I don’t advocate finding pain, but the idea of pressure points is a good one: if you can find the little spots where a little action can change everything, can go a long way, you have mastered the Do Less philosophy.


• Let others do. Give others the room and freedom to move, to create, to invent, to learn, to work, to do, on their own. Less time, effort and action spent trying to control others means that you do less, but let others make things happen. It means letting go of control, but that’s a good thing. Other people have creativity, imagination, dedication, good ideas too.


• Let things happen. Often our actions interfere with events that would happen without our actions. In other words, if we took no action, things would happen without us. Sometimes it’s better to let things happen. Step back, don’t act, things will happen without us.

“Doing nothing to disturb the spontaneous flow of things.” – Lao Tzu