There’s a common misconception that success is achieved by constantly adding more to our workload – more papers, more meetings, more projects. However, this approach often leads to overwhelm, burnout, and a lack of focus on what truly matters. The truth is, sometimes the key to unlocking your full potential lies in the art of subtraction – doing less, but with a focused intensity.

Do less but do better. Any energy that goes into what doesn’t matter comes at the expense of what does.

Farnam Street. Less but better.

The temptation to constantly add more to our plates is understandable. We live in a culture that celebrates busyness and equates productivity with being overwhelmed. Which is why doing less can be challenging, as it goes against our bias towards addition and accumulation. It requires a willingness to let go of activities that don’t serve our core goals and priorities.

Read: Embracing strategic inaction.

Take a moment to reflect on your current workload and commitments.

• What activities or tasks could you subtract or streamline?
• Where could you apply the principle of “less but better”?
• What are you spending time on that isn’t core to your academic career?

By focusing more energy on fewer activities, you’ll find yourself operating with greater clarity, intentionality, and impact. And you’ll have more head space to dive deep into your high-value projects, explore challenging ideas, and produce work of higher quality.