My Do Less: What I Learned from Avoiding Kate Northrup

I heard about Kate Northrup’s book Do Less two years ago in an interview she did on the Marie Forleo podcast and MarieTV.

Immediately I knew I needed to know more because doing less didn’t seem remotely possible for me at the time. I felt a strong tug to buy the audiobook right away, but I ignored it.

I made all sorts of excuses for not listening to that tug. I even listened to a few of Kate’s podcasts and went down a few rabbit holes, felt challenged and annoyed, and convinced myself she and I wouldn’t get along on a personal growth journey.

So I put the book on my Audible wish list and moved on.

This means I’ve officially been avoiding this book (and Kate Northrup) for years now. When I get honest with myself, here’s why ⤵

• I didn’t believe I had the luxury of doing less.

• I didn’t see how I’d have the time.

• I didn’t think I deserved it.

Then earlier this year, I went on a women’s retreat that taught me so much about the value of taking care of myself and finding community to make the load lighter (among other things – more about that at our own retreat next fall).

Just home from that retreat, I found myself talking on the phone with a friend trying to explain everything I’d just learned but noticing my brain starting to get fuzzy, realizing I had just spent the past 43 minutes of our conversation multi-tasking by writing and rewriting a to-do list.

In that moment, I stopped everything and made myself sit in a chair by the window, and I heard her say these words: “I really need to do less.”

Then it hit me – I need to do less, too. And I need to stop avoiding Kate Northrup and her Do Less book. Here’s how I know ⤵

• I’m always multi-tasking, even though I know it’s not good for my mind, body, soul, productivity, or creativity.

• It’s getting harder and harder to find time to read good books and play and laugh with my family.

• My kids have been saying they’re stressed and just need a break.

• When I do less of the things that don’t matter, I’ll have so much time for the things that really do matter to me.

So right there on the phone with my friend, I made myself a promise that I was going to do less – and I was finally going to listen to Kate Northrup’s book to help me.

I did listen to it (on 0.9 speed, by the way, because she reads really fast and it makes me a little crazy), and I loved it.

It’s full of loads of exercises and things to try to help you discover what’s really important in life, what’s really beneficial as far as productivity goes, and what’s standing in your way of actually saying no to the things you don’t need any longer.

But I needed something more. After avoiding this book for so long, I knew I needed to go deeper to really look my resistance in the eyes and own up to my addiction to doing way too much. I needed some tangible steps for myself. I needed to commit.

So I made my own Do Less list ⤵

• Do only one thing at a time (unless it’s an audiobook)

• Take a break to do nothing for 5 minutes daily

• Sit down to eat

• Listen to your body

• Lean into your cycle

• Phone on silent always

• Get honest about how long tasks take

• Work stops at 5 pm

• Weekends are for rest and fun – no “catching up”

• Lots of social-media-free days (thank you, Edgar)

• 10 minutes of yoga every morning

• Long nature walks 5-6 days per week

• No phone in bed

• Make art

• Read books

• Get outside with the kids

• Have tea parties

• Email checks only 2-3 times a day

• Cuddle

• Speak up to ask for help

• Stop doing busywork to alleviate anxiety

• Let things be

• Grace for when I can’t seem to stick to any of my good intentions on this list or otherwise

Since making this list, I’ve failed more times than I can tell you. But I’m still committed to trying again. Practicing again. Committing again. Learning from my overactivity again.

As I practice, I’m finding that when I do less of what doesn’t matter, I have so much more time and energy for the things that really do matter.

• family

• friends

• laughter

• love

• and so much more

What’s on your Do Less list?

Do any of mine resonate with you? Do any of them make you want to slam your laptop and forget you ever read this article? If I can offer you any words of wisdom on the topic, they would be these – Don’t do what I did and avoid this practice for years. Lean in and find out more about how you can grow into this today.

Come on over to the email group and join the discussion or hop into some personal growth options with me.

I’d love to hear from you!