Less is Waiting for You

Inviting Less Over More

It's September! Where I live, the sun has started to settle earlier and the temperatures dropped. We changed from a summer sheet cover to a duvet. And our kids are back at school on Monday. 

When Autumn arrives, I often feel a little on edge. Did I do all the things I wanted to do this summer? Did I make the most of the long summer evenings? Did I celebrate the sun enough? And now with school-aged children - did I appreciate their freer schedule and the time I had with them? 

I've tried many strategies to brave this transition with more grace through the years. Setting Autumn goals, booking autumn holidays, scheduling a massage, taking time to reflect, appreciating the colors, shopping, the list could go on and on. 

This year, I set off on a mission to tidy up and declutter my home, the KonMari method. For the uninitiated - this is a process in which one tidies up their belongings by category and in a specific order. The intention is to keep only those things that speak to the heart and discard items that no longer spark joy. I must admit: my little family had accommodated a lot more no-joy possessions than I'd expected! As the shelves became spacious, and I discarded a few bags of unwanted items, I felt lighter. The space felt bigger. More spacious, lighter, freer. 

The ‘Untapped Science of Less’ 

Now, I am drawn to contemplate the notion of Less. Two and a half millennia since Lao Tzu advised: “To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, subtract things every day.” Since then, we have received a lot of advice to notice the power of Less. Yet, we live in a world full of temptations for more. When faced with a problem, the instinctive response is adding over subtracting. Leidy Klotz in his book “Subtract” presents a lengthy and rich case for Less and its untapped potential. He reminds us that centuries ago, DaVinci defined perfection as when there is nothing left to take away. It makes so much sense for the route to well-being to be about taking away the inessential. So, why do we tend to clutter our homes, schedules, and minds? 

As I piled belongings into the bags labeled ‘Donate’ and ‘Throw Away’, I noticed a feeling of nostalgia within me. Several items brought up memories from the past. I realized that many of these possessions held some sentimental value. Perhaps, I have not kept these items because of their beauty, design, or functionality, but instead, I was keeping something because it held a version of the past that I considered part of my identity. Said another way, my identity was personified in these items. However, the truth is that my identity will remain whole and intact, whether I keep that item or not. So I chose to apply a small inner gesture – as I tossed away an item, I thanked it for all the ways it had enriched my life. Then, I said goodbye. 

Clutter builds up because of a tendency to hold on to things. ‘For later.’ ‘To remember.’ ‘To show respect.’ ‘Because we should.’ Decluttering was not about possessions anymore. It felt as if I was shedding layers of an old version of myself. I expected Less to feel like loss, but I was surprised when I felt gratitude. 

When we have been brought up in a world where busyness is a signal of status and we value excess as a statement of success, then it makes sense to start our journeys to well-being by shedding the pressure and weight of More. We’ve got to get past the notion that More is better. Then, we have to say goodbye to the things that no longer serve us.

The Temptation of More in Organizations

In organizations, we see left, right, and center, leaders add more options to their employee experience. They offer a host of benefits and training to their staff in the hopes of decreasing burnout and increasing well-being. But with no spaciousness in the daily work, no organizational slack, scarce resources, and overburdened schedules – how can employees find the time to attend any of these new options? If done without care and consideration, at their best, interventions can create scattered fixes; at their worst, they can create more harm than good by increasing overwhelm and stress. 

Your Path to Less: An Invitation

So, as I am preparing to transition into autumn, I invite us all to think: What’s possible if we invite Less? 

When taking away the old and unnecessary, we can create space for what is actually important now. When we create space, we can receive. Space to see ourselves, space to hear ourselves, space to think, space to tend to what’s most important. Less gave me a sense of freedom and lightness. I am ready for the new season. 

As you say goodbye to summer, what could you let go of? What could you do to make more space? Where in your life or work could you invite Less?