Hey there Reader,
At a time of year when things can get a bit manic, Cal Newport puts it plainly in Slow Productivity:
“Do fewer things. Strive to reduce your obligations to the point where you can easily imagine accomplishing them with time to spare. Leverage this reduced load to more fully embrace and advance the small number of projects that matter most.”
This principle has been echoing in my mind lately. Because if I’m honest, my natural instinct is to try and do it all at once: teaching, coaching, studying, renovating, building community.
But what I’ve been reminded of — again — is that doing everything often means I don’t get to fully enjoy anything.
So I’ve been making some intentional choices.
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✨ Instead of trying to move four big projects forward all at once, I’m choosing to sequence them so each one gets the space it deserves.
✨ Here’s the order I’ve set:
- Prepare for and sit my ACC exam
- Finish the third paper in my interior decorating course
- Host Christmas with presence and joy
- Launch Engage in the new year
By laying them out this way, I’m not abandoning anything. I’m simply creating breathing room so I can give my best to each in turn. I'm excited to see how my experience of life shifts with this approach.
🔬Tiny experiment
Take five minutes this week to look at your commitments.
- Where are you trying to do too much at once?
- What’s one thing you could delay or re-order to give more space to what matters most right now?
đź“ť Journal prompt
Where in your life would “fewer things, better” make the biggest difference?
đź’Ś Reader reflections: Your experiments, your insights
This week’s theme of “doing fewer things, better” is all about giving yourself permission to step back from doing it all at once, and instead choosing what to give your energy to first.
I’d love to hear from you:
- Where have you simplified or re-ordered things in your life?
- Did it make space for more joy, ease, or energy?
Hit reply and tell me about it. I’ll share reflections in future newsletters (anonymous if you’d like), so we can learn and grow together — one tiny experiment at a time.
đź“š Club corner
Right now we’re reading Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman, a four-week reflection on living fully within the limits of a finite life.
It’s a timely reminder that every “yes” comes with a cost and that sometimes, the most important decision is choosing where not to spend your energy.
👉 Click to join the book club here - it's free.
🌱 Step into more
If you’re realizing that you’re spread too thin, coaching can help you clear the noise and choose with intention.
🌱 Flourish— 6 sessions to transform one pillar of wellbeing — Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, or Accomplishment — with practical tools and sustainable habits.
🌱 Life Beyond the Checkbox: Self Discovery — a 9-week journey to reconnect with your identity, values, and purpose.
🌱 Life Beyond the Checkbox: Life by Design — a 6-month coaching partnership to help you create a sustainable, joy-filled life aligned with what matters most.
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🌱 Not sure what you need yet? → Schedule a free 30 minute consultation.