This Year, Do Less to Get More

Source: Maddi Bazzocco / Unsplash

As the new year begins, you are likely considering your goals. Researchers have termed this phenomenon the "fresh start effect," showing that individuals are more likely to start thinking about their goals and priorities when a significant milestone is approaching, such as the start of a new year or a birthday.

However, when formulating your direction for the new year, emerging research suggests that you are likely to overlook an important type of resolution: Doing less.

We are biased to think that more means better. This has led to the ballooning of tasks and responsibilities for so many of us.

For example, leaders are eight times more likely to suggest changes that involve adding to the current slate rather than removing from it. Executives now spend 230 percent more time in meetings than they did in the 1960s, and my research has shown that this increased level of collaboration often causes employees stress. At home, the average house size has increased by almost 1,000 square feet over the last 40 years, and researchers have found that the time that parents spend with their children has increased exponentially over the last five decades, despite more parents working outside the home.

While some of these changes may be viewed as positive on their own, they are also stretching us thin. Recent reports have found that employees are experiencing burnout at shockingly high levels, surpassing even the peak levels experienced during the pandemic. We can't continue at this pace; we need to find a new approach.

To do so, we must challenge the idea that the only way to improve is by doing more. We need to start looking for what a Carnegie Mellon University researcher calls "virtuous subtraction," which involves mindfully identifying opportunities to create value by eliminating certain activities and goals.

How can we do this? Start with the below:

Scheduling Differently

One way to start is by turning to your schedule. In 1930, economists predicted that, by 2030, life would be so prosperous that people would only need to work around 15 hours a week. In this world, the new problem would be how to fill our abundant leisure time. Yet, as we approach the century mark since this prediction was made, our world is characterized by a time famine rather than time abundance.

For example, consider how office workers spend their days. Modern employees report a never-ending deluge of meetings on their calendars with little time to get anything else done. This norm isn’t serving them or their companies: Reducing meetings by 20 percent increases satisfaction (by 48 percent), productivity (by 35 percent), communication (by 45 percent), and engagement (by 28 percent).

Many argue that it isn’t possible to reduce the number of meetings. Yet, in doing so, they are likely prioritizing the urgent at the expense of the important: Important tasks have a significant impact on long-term goals and values but may not require immediate action, whereas urgent tasks require immediate attention but may not necessarily have a long-term impact. It’s the difference between developing a strategic plan versus dealing with an upset customer. Whereas the latter is important, we cannot only focus on the latter at the expense of the former.

Consider Intel, which encouraged engineers to pursue important tasks by implementing four hours of “Thinking Time” on Tuesday mornings, where the expectation was that these employees would be offline and free of distraction. Similarly, 3M implemented thinking hours as “15 percent time” and Google under the banner of “20 percent time,” which are reported to have led to the creation of both Post-its and Gmail.

By making space for employees to do less of the “urgent” and prioritizing the “important,” these companies developed some of their best products. It’s worth considering: Can the same approach to your calendar, at work or home, lead to some of your best work? How can you do less of the “urgent” and prioritize the “important?”

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Outsourcing

Imagine that, in planning how to improve your life in 2024, I gave you $40 to support your resolutions. How would you choose to spend that money?

If you are like most people, you would spend it on a material item, perhaps a new planner to organize your life, or new running shorts to wear during your planned exercise regimen. When researchers asked working adults how they would allocate an extra $40, 98 percent went down a similar path.

However, such a choice might not be the best. One study found that spending money on freeing yourself from disliked activities produced greater happiness than purchasing material goods. In other words, while that new planner might seem like it will give you some control over your time, spending that money to outsource some of your disliked tasks is likely to have a bigger impact.

Some forward-thinking organizations are taking action based on these findings, encouraging their employees to outsource. For example, it’s been reported that the Stanford School of Medicine launched an initiative offering faculty members vouchers for services such as meal deliveries, laundry, and housecleaning. This approach proved successful. Follow-up reports showed that doctors who utilized this program were 20 percent less likely to leave Stanford and felt that they had achieved a better balance.

While investing in housecleaning or laundry services is undoubtedly a privilege, researchers have noted that redirecting even a few dollars on the margin of your budget when it is possible has been shown to have an outsized impact. For example, paying for a grocery delivery service during a hectic week can be just the boost needed.

Now You Know

A study by researchers from the University of Virginia revealed that our bias towards doing more doesn't stem from a lack of appreciation for subtractive solutions, but rather from our tendency to overlook them during the brainstorming process. When people are reminded to think about subtracting from the current state, they frequently opt for that approach.

Take this as your reminder. Now that you understand that doing less often yields greater results, think about setting a goal or resolution for the upcoming year that can help you overcome the bias toward constantly seeking “more.”