Why I’m Going to Do Less in 2021

Yes, you read that right. My goal for this new year is to do less.

It’s a new year—and not just any new year. It’s a new year after the year 2020—arguably one of the worst years that many of us have experienced in this lifetime, for a multitude of reasons I need not remind you of here.

Given what a dumpster fire 2020 was, I think collectively, it’s safe to say that we probably didn’t do or achieve as much as we set out to do at the beginning of last year. For the most part, I think we were all just focused on surviving.

A common theme for any new year is always this idea of “new year, new me.” Messages of more hustle, better health, more organization, more grind. Just a lot of talk about “more.”

In 2021, it feels like a lot of people have this overwhelming need to make up for all that was lost last year. A sense of urgency, and pressure almost, to make this “the best year ever.” To do everything they didn’t do in 2020—or couldn’t.

Not me, friends. Nope. 2021 is not my year to do more. Quite the opposite. This year, I am going to do less.

And here’s why.

I’m tired. I’m sure you are, too. Nobody is doing great right now. We are all struggling, both in obvious ways and in ways that most of us probably can’t understand. While I do feel hopeful about the year ahead, if I learned anything in 2020, it’s to lower my expectations. I can’t emotionally afford to get my hopes up about this year. I can’t do it. That is not being negative, that is being real. I am hopeful…I really am. We have a new administration, the vaccine is here and (slowly) getting rolled out. After 320+ days, it feels like there might actually now be a light at the end of a never-ending tunnel.

But, I—we—can’t expect that just because now that it’s 2021, and we have some hooks on which to hang our hopeful hats—that doesn’t mean things are just magically better, and it doesn’t mean life will back to “normal.” And honestly, we shouldn’t want to go back to where we were. There’s no growth in that. If you paid attention in 2020, I hope you learned a few things about yourself, and the world around us. The many ways our country and culture need to change. How much of what we value as a society/culture is not healthy.

One of those things that culture tells us is that our worth is associated with how much we do. And isn’t that exhausting? I read a great quote lately:

“Trying to do it all will eventually be your undoing.”

- Kate Northrup, author of “Do Less: A Revolutionary Approach to Time & Energy”

This year is an opportunity to change behaviors. Last year I learned a hard lesson: I can’t expect people to change, and there is very little in this world that is within my control. So while I don’t expect shit from this year, or from other people, I do expect something from myself, and that is growth, in the form of doing less.

All my life, I’ve held myself to ridiculously high standards that I would never hold someone else to. I am always too hard on myself. I internalize stress and anxiety. I am not a great communicator. Everything is always “fine.” I put everyone else before myself. I find ways to feel immense guilt about nearly everything, even though I know it’s ridiculous. It is hard for me to sit idle.

The whole thought in people who believe in this mentality of “less is more” is that in doing less, you have more energy, time, and excitement for more.

More of what matters. More time to check in with yourself, and your people. More freedom. More presence. More connection. More creativity. More focus. More relaxation. Better relationships.

I’m going to do the things I need to do, instead of what I expect myself to do.

“When you do less, you do the things you consciously choose to do better.”

- Kate Northrup

I have to stop giving energy and fucks about things that just don’t matter, and things I just can’t control. I have to stop trying to do all the things and be all the titles. So, I’m going to do less.

Doing less doesn’t mean doing nothing. It doesn’t mean I won’t still work hard. I simply just mean, I will not— can not—let myself feel pressured into doing more just by allowing myself to believe that I didn’t “do” enough—in 2020, and in general. I am going to give my attention to the things and people who deserve it.

When I get overwhelmed, instead of letting it pile on, I am going to stop, and do the opposite of what my instinct is, which is to do, do, do and go, go, go so I can get shit done and get it off my plate. Nope. In those high anxiety moments, I am going to stop, and breathe, and do something at that moment that will help me level.

To be clear, this will be a very difficult thing for me to embrace. I don’t expect it to happen overnight. Maybe it won’t happen at all? But damn it, I will try.

I don’t know who else needs to hear this, but I am giving myself, and anyone else who needs it, permission to do less this year. It will be OK.

Happy New Year, friends. Here’s to giving fewer fucks, and doing less.