The Art of Subtraction: Do More with Less
Mountains are often metaphors for challenges, but not in the case of climber and author Francis Sanzaro. In fact, a mountain led him to discover the power of “less is more.”
During a grueling ascent, his determination to reach the top of a peak created extreme pressure and anxiety, causing him to fall short of his goal. However, once he removed what he “should” be doing (push harder, climb faster, aim higher), he found the simple joy in the climb, embracing the philosophy that he could do more with less on his plate.
“The tactic of subtraction goes against the grain of the so-called mindset revolution, in which it seems everyone is adding this or that quality to their mental approach,” Sanzaro says. “The growth mindset. The abundance mindset. The gratitude mindset. But in this genre of self-optimization, if it can be called that, we are adding more and more duct tape to something that isn’t broken—our mind—until it is so covered we lose sight of the beautifully designed machine underneath it all and it thus becomes, in fact, broken.”
What Does “Less is More” Mean?
The 'Less is More' philosophy is likened to minimalism, suggesting that simplicity and clarity lead to better outcomes. I call this “The Art of Subtraction” due to the mathematical approach of taking away instead of adding to reach a solution.
You may recognize this minimalistic mantra from Marie Kondo, who encourages letting go of anything that does not bring you joy. Kondo uses this thought process for tidying up your house, but in this article, we will apply it to productivity and peak performance.
The Pitfalls of the 'More is Better' Mindset
I had to strip all the metal I was wearing to be able to go into the factory. The line was long, and it took me even longer to remove my belt, wedding ring, watch, cell phone, jacket with zipper, underwire bra... and put them all on again.
This was a negative side-effect of my corporate job. No one ever actually stole from the company, but if they did, the cost would have been epic, so they had to take precautions. The wasted time at the metal detector helped highlight how absurd much of the time I spent in meetings was. Sometimes, I would have to go back into the plant four times a day, even though I was the Director of Marketing and the meetings were largely around operations. These meetings literally added 50% to my schedule and were seldom important.
According to my report, The State of Workplace Busyness, 87% of corporate workers suffer from stress and poor mental health, largely due to the pressure to constantly achieve and add more to their plates. The focus on low-value activities, either self-inflicted or given by upper management, creates the illusion that “busy is good.” In addition to meetings, some more examples of low-value activities include:
The dreaded “Hey, have you got a minute?”
Receiving (and checking) emails or chats every hour.
Multitasking
Failing to delegate things you do not need to do yourself
I call these “Busy Traps,” and most of the time, they are habitual. But Busy Traps are actually a form of self-sabotage.
You may be asking yourself, “How can I identify low-value activities that need to be eliminated from my life?”
In my consulting business, I have heard this question multiple times. That’s why I developed the Busy Barometer Assessment, an online 5-minute survey that helps identify what low-value things can be eliminated from your life, personally and professionally. You can take the Busy Barometer here.
Remember that adding one more task to your schedule will not get you to the finish line. Instead, it will block you from progress and delay achieving your goals.
The Art of Subtraction in Daily Life
So, how do you add (no pun intended) subtraction into your everyday life? Consider these steps to live a “less is more” lifestyle:
Self-awareness: Recognize when busyness becomes a default state. Are you overcommitted? Are you sacrificing your well-being to get it all done? Are you trying to be superhuman, showing off how important you are—not only to others but also to yourself?
Prioritizing your values: When you focus on what truly matters to you, you find it easier to say no to unrelated commitments. More importantly, it ignites your happiness muscle because you're spending your time on what matters to you.
Boundaries: There is space for other things than work. And you don’t have to manage your personal life as if it was your company. You can actually take time to think and plan, or you can just push your reset button. You can ignore your communication alarms and notifications most of the time, but one tiny word - “no” - can create universes of space in your life.
Disconnection. Whether it's technology, or time being sucked away by people who are not out for your best interest, unplugging can, ironically, make it easier and more powerful to connect.
Single-task: Rather than multitasking, try this out. Do one thing at a time. It may feel or seem like this is ineffective, but measure it. Check how much more effective single-tasking can be in terms of results AND how much more pleasant it is.
Mindfulness: Remember my cat food story, when I accidentally gobbled a mouthful of pet food thinking it was pistachio nuts? Being in a mindless haze from burnout makes you do dumb things like feeding the cat pistachio nuts and eating cat food. Slow down to be more productive. Rest and intention will improve your performance because you act with more purpose.
Practicing the art of subtraction is not easy. As a busyness addict, I have learned this the hard way. But once you get the hang of it, you will reap the benefits of living a minimalistic lifestyle and find your sweet spot where peak performance, happiness, and self-care meet without sacrificing one for the other.
Do More with Less
It’s time to embrace subtraction not as a call to do nothing but as a strategy to focus on what truly matters. By letting go of low-value activities and prioritizing simplicity in the workplace and at home, you will have everything you need to climb any mountain that stands in your way.
And don’t forget to identify your biggest Busy Traps by taking the free Busy Barometer Assessment, an in-depth analysis of 21 habits that result in productivity, health, and energy optimization.
To learn more about the art of subtraction, pre-order my book Beyond Busyness: How to Achieve More by Doing Less here. Beyond Busyness provides a simple, data-backed, and actionable approach to living a “less is more” lifestyle.
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