Less: Accomplishing More by Doing Less Hot

This is a deceptive book: it’s small size and glib title didn’t prepare me for the variety and depth of wisdom it contains. (And, isn’t it delicious that the author’s name is “Lesser.”) Still, it wasn’t until mid-way through chapter four that I finally caught the author’s key point: managing our mind is the most important step in managing our “busyness” and being able to accomplish more—by doing less.

How do we manage our mind? The author keenly analyzes the five root causes for our resistance to doing less—Fear, Assumptions, Distractions, Resistance, and Busyness—to begin the process. He then presents real-life examples of how human nature and our modern world have fueled these underlying causes, and concludes with simple techniques to replace unproductive busyness patterns with healthier and more effective patterns. This combination really makes the allure of “doing less” come alive.

My only concern about this book; most of the people who need this information won’t take the time to read it. Despite the compact size, valuable lessons, and helpful summaries of key points, Less is not designed for a quick scan. To get the full benefit requires reading, reflection, and practicing the suggested techniques. It’s well worth those efforts, however, to transform your life—accomplishing more by doing less.

--Abigail Dougherty