Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable..

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable.

Do you find it hard to stay on top of things? Or that you’re constantly spinning plates in the air? Maybe you feel guilty if you stop to relax. After all, that “to do” list isn’t going to do itself!

Let’s face it. Our world is fast-paced and over-stimulating.

“We live in a world where we are expected to be available at all times, making it difficult for many to shut off and relax,” says Thomas Oppong, author, editor and founder of AllTopStartups.com

What if you could take back control of how you spend your time, though? What a wonderful world that would be!

Rather than looking for the next magic bullet to be developed, Oppong has researched contemporary authors — and has reached back to early philosophers for perspective.

Check out the following pearls of wisdom.

“A life well-lived is a life well-edited. Prune away the inessential. Pour yourself into what remains.” — James Clear, author of “Atomic Habits”

“Most of what we say and do is not essential. If you can eliminate it, you’ll have more time and more tranquility. Ask yourself at every moment, ‘Is this necessary?’” — Marcus Aurelius

“It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the nonessentials.” — Bruce Lee

Every day we’re bombarded from all sides. “There are numerous voices, tasks, projects and responsibilities competing for our attention and trying to convince us that this or that is essential to our happiness,” observes Oppong.

“If you feel overcommitted, overloaded or overworked,” Oppong continues, “it’s probably time to take stock of your daily habits and hack away at the non-essentials. It’s the only way to improve clarity and gain control over your time.”

Who knew this was a thing?

In his book, “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,” author Greg McKeown explains his take on the concept.

“The way of the Essentialist means living by design, not by default,” says McKeown. “Instead of making choices reactively, the Essentialist deliberately distinguishes the vital few from the trivial many, eliminates the non-essentials, and then removes obstacles so the essential things have clear, smooth passage.”

Okay, I need to do a reality check here.

We all have responsibilities to tend to, so it’s not like we’re just sitting on high, deliberating about our essentials and non-essentials.

The grass may look greener on the other side, but you must still take out the garbage. And wait for your turn at the DMV.

So, I’m not suggesting that you make wholesale changes. Just take a look at this concept to see if you need to do a little pruning in your life.

“Productivity doesn’t always mean more,” says Oppong. “Fewer, but essential things in life make everything less stressful. Life is a series of trade-offs. It’s filled with choices and decisions — from the type of friends you keep to the career you choose.”

So, how do you determine what is essential and what is non-essential? Oppong describes the non-essentials as activities, habits, practices, people, places or things that add little or no value to your life.

Of course, our individual outlooks are shaped by our filters and life experiences. Something I might identify as essential would not necessarily be on your essential list.

Do you aways wait for your work to be done before engaging in one of your passions? A good work ethic is a wonderful trait — except when it begins to take over.

If you wait until all the work is done, you may never get to feed your soul.

The Noble Art of Pruning

The ability to hold back on more is life-changing, explains Oppong, as he expresses his passion for pruning with the examples below.

• Stop caring so much about what people think.

• Stop obsessing about “likes” on social media.

• Stop worrying about a bigger house you don’t need.

• Stop trying to impress people you don’t like.

• Stop saying “yes” to everyone.

“Make time for the few people and things that contribute to a meaningful life,” concludes Oppong. “Find meaning in everyday moments, like the time you share with people who bring out the best in you — and the activities that move the needle.”

Pass along those pruning shears.

©2022 Linda Arnold Live Life Fully, all rights reserved. Linda Arnold, M.A., M.B.A., is a psychological counselor, syndicated columnist and founder of a multistate marketing company. Reader comments are welcome at linda@lindaarnold.org For information on her books, go to www.lindaarnold.org or Amazon.com

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