What do you think?
Rate this book
Less Doing, More Living: Make Everything in Life Easier
"Less is more"—or, more specifically, the less you have to do, the more life you have to live. Efficiency expert Ari Meisel details his "Less Doing" philosophy, which will streamline your life, and make everything easier.
In business and our personal lives, it often seems as if the only way to get more done is by putting in more time—more hours at the office, more days running errands. But what if there were a way that we could do less, and free up more time for the things and people we love? If this sounds like what you need, Ari Meisel—TEDx speaker, efficiency consultant, and achievement architect—has the program for you. In Less Doing, More Living , Meisel explores the fundamental principles of his “Less Doing” philosophy, educating the reader
This book will give readers new tools and techniques for streamlining their workload, being more efficient in their day-to-day activities, and making everything in life easier .
In business and our personal lives, it often seems as if the only way to get more done is by putting in more time—more hours at the office, more days running errands. But what if there were a way that we could do less, and free up more time for the things and people we love? If this sounds like what you need, Ari Meisel—TEDx speaker, efficiency consultant, and achievement architect—has the program for you. In Less Doing, More Living , Meisel explores the fundamental principles of his “Less Doing” philosophy, educating the reader
This book will give readers new tools and techniques for streamlining their workload, being more efficient in their day-to-day activities, and making everything in life easier .
144 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2014
119 people are currently reading
3045 people want to read
About the author
Ari R. Meisel
19 books40 followersAri Meisel is a self described, “Overwhelmologist” who helps entrepreneurs who have opportunity in excess of what their infrastructure can handle, to optimize, automate, and outsource everything in their business, so they can make themselves replaceable and scale their business.
Ari is the Founder of Less Doing, author of the best-selling book, “The Art of Less Doing”, and its sequel, the forthcoming “The Replaceable Founder”, coming this September.
He is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business, an Ironman, and a devoted husband to Anna and father to four children, Ben, 6, Sebastien and Lucas, 4 and Chloe, 2.
When Ari Meisel was diagnosed with a severe case of the incurable digestive ailment known as Crohn’s disease, he quickly found himself in the hospital and soon thereafter on a host of medications. After hitting a truly low point, he decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. Putting himself on a strict regiment of yoga, healthy eating, nutritional supplements and intense exercise, Meisel not only beat back the symptoms, he was in fact eventually declared cured of his "incurable" disease.
One of the outcomes of this log and difficult journey was the deep realization that he wanted to live his precious gift of healthy life much more fully. He quickly saw how much of his time was wasted by tasks that could just as easily be done by others. Thus was born his blog, the art of Less Doing, so that we all might have more living.
Ari is the Founder of Less Doing, author of the best-selling book, “The Art of Less Doing”, and its sequel, the forthcoming “The Replaceable Founder”, coming this September.
He is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business, an Ironman, and a devoted husband to Anna and father to four children, Ben, 6, Sebastien and Lucas, 4 and Chloe, 2.
When Ari Meisel was diagnosed with a severe case of the incurable digestive ailment known as Crohn’s disease, he quickly found himself in the hospital and soon thereafter on a host of medications. After hitting a truly low point, he decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. Putting himself on a strict regiment of yoga, healthy eating, nutritional supplements and intense exercise, Meisel not only beat back the symptoms, he was in fact eventually declared cured of his "incurable" disease.
One of the outcomes of this log and difficult journey was the deep realization that he wanted to live his precious gift of healthy life much more fully. He quickly saw how much of his time was wasted by tasks that could just as easily be done by others. Thus was born his blog, the art of Less Doing, so that we all might have more living.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
August 25, 2014
I won this through FirstReads, so even though I'm having a hard time figuring out what I think about this book, I will review it.
My main problem is: who is this for? The target audience is apparently entrepreneurs who are comfortable outsourcing their entire lives over the internet, who have also never heard of Google. A sample chapter is, "You should hire people to do things for you!" and then four pages of reviewing different websites where you can hire people to do things for you. It's not that it's all bad advice (although, some of it is bad advice), it's that there's nothing in here that couldn't be found in a simple search online.
It's written like an infomercial, and I don't think you could ever convince me that he didn't get paid to advertise some of these services. Is it really that big of a timesaver to personalize your vitamins and supplements? I don't think so. Yet it gets half a chapter, complete with website shoutout and "I saved so much money" testimonial.
I feel like this should have been a blog, not a book. And if it was a blog, there are two or three posts I would've sent to a friend or my mom. But his goal seems to be to change people's lives, and he's oblivious to how incredibly specific some of these tips are. Yes, everyone can set up a recurring order of household staples through Amazon (should they, given Amazon's labor issues? That's a more interesting question). No, everyone cannot outsource a big chunk of their job to an online secretary that they hire for an hour a week. I'm an attorney; that would be a violation of privilege.
The short version is: he writes like everyone has (or at the very least, aspires to have) a web-based personal business and/or "brand." And I know that there are a lot of people out there who have that goal, so I understand writing a book for that audience. What I don't understand, is having the substance of the book be, essentially, Let Me Google That For You.
My main problem is: who is this for? The target audience is apparently entrepreneurs who are comfortable outsourcing their entire lives over the internet, who have also never heard of Google. A sample chapter is, "You should hire people to do things for you!" and then four pages of reviewing different websites where you can hire people to do things for you. It's not that it's all bad advice (although, some of it is bad advice), it's that there's nothing in here that couldn't be found in a simple search online.
It's written like an infomercial, and I don't think you could ever convince me that he didn't get paid to advertise some of these services. Is it really that big of a timesaver to personalize your vitamins and supplements? I don't think so. Yet it gets half a chapter, complete with website shoutout and "I saved so much money" testimonial.
I feel like this should have been a blog, not a book. And if it was a blog, there are two or three posts I would've sent to a friend or my mom. But his goal seems to be to change people's lives, and he's oblivious to how incredibly specific some of these tips are. Yes, everyone can set up a recurring order of household staples through Amazon (should they, given Amazon's labor issues? That's a more interesting question). No, everyone cannot outsource a big chunk of their job to an online secretary that they hire for an hour a week. I'm an attorney; that would be a violation of privilege.
The short version is: he writes like everyone has (or at the very least, aspires to have) a web-based personal business and/or "brand." And I know that there are a lot of people out there who have that goal, so I understand writing a book for that audience. What I don't understand, is having the substance of the book be, essentially, Let Me Google That For You.
April 29, 2021
"The idea of Less Doing is to reclaim your time and- more important- your mind, so you can do the things you want to do." pg xv
Ari Meisel, a self-professed "achievement architect", outlines ways to streamline your chores, finances, and more in order to free up time for the activities, and people, that are most important to you.
"I don't want you to run errands, ever ever ever again. They're not efficient, and there's no way to make them efficient." pg 69
Many of his suggestions are common now, like setting up an automatic delivery from Amazon for your regularly needed household items like toilet paper and paper towels. But when I considered that this book was published in 2014, then it seemed like a stroke of genius.
However, that won't necessarily be useful to readers who are looking for more updated suggestions to make their lives that much more efficient- except for a few of his timeless strategies. For example, measure and monitor how much time it takes you to do things so then you can figure out where your time is going to.
Not rocket science, but helpful.
The one suggestion of his that I found most intriguing was his idea of creating an 'external brain'. Basically, you write notes, diary entries, clip electronic articles and organize it in a program (he likes Evernote) so that you can access it again quickly if you would like.
"... you can create an 'external brain' that stores everything reliably, offers instant access, and frees your mind for more interesting work." pg 18
I thought this approach could be very helpful for someone like me who reads and researches different topics all the time, for the fun of it, but also for professional content creators who are looking for their next blog post or YouTube video, etc.
How much easier would it be to be able to access all of your previous research rather than having to start over from scratch each time?
On the other hand, there is a massive amount of time required to both create this external brain and keep it updated. I suppose the investment only makes sense depending on what you're eventually going to use the database for.
Recommended with reservations for readers who are looking for ways to streamline their lives.
Ari Meisel, a self-professed "achievement architect", outlines ways to streamline your chores, finances, and more in order to free up time for the activities, and people, that are most important to you.
"I don't want you to run errands, ever ever ever again. They're not efficient, and there's no way to make them efficient." pg 69
Many of his suggestions are common now, like setting up an automatic delivery from Amazon for your regularly needed household items like toilet paper and paper towels. But when I considered that this book was published in 2014, then it seemed like a stroke of genius.
However, that won't necessarily be useful to readers who are looking for more updated suggestions to make their lives that much more efficient- except for a few of his timeless strategies. For example, measure and monitor how much time it takes you to do things so then you can figure out where your time is going to.
Not rocket science, but helpful.
The one suggestion of his that I found most intriguing was his idea of creating an 'external brain'. Basically, you write notes, diary entries, clip electronic articles and organize it in a program (he likes Evernote) so that you can access it again quickly if you would like.
"... you can create an 'external brain' that stores everything reliably, offers instant access, and frees your mind for more interesting work." pg 18
I thought this approach could be very helpful for someone like me who reads and researches different topics all the time, for the fun of it, but also for professional content creators who are looking for their next blog post or YouTube video, etc.
How much easier would it be to be able to access all of your previous research rather than having to start over from scratch each time?
On the other hand, there is a massive amount of time required to both create this external brain and keep it updated. I suppose the investment only makes sense depending on what you're eventually going to use the database for.
Recommended with reservations for readers who are looking for ways to streamline their lives.
June 1, 2018
I strongly believe in what I have read in this book.
If we need to do more we would have to be precise in what we have and own. That would be in less accumulating unnecessary things and stuff in every aspect in our life : relationships , work, home and our virtual social media reality. That would help us to focus more in what we do.
If we need to do more we would have to be precise in what we have and own. That would be in less accumulating unnecessary things and stuff in every aspect in our life : relationships , work, home and our virtual social media reality. That would help us to focus more in what we do.
December 20, 2014
There is useful and interesting information buried in here but much of it is devoted to promoting websites and apps. I can see the benefits of automating tasks - hey my bills are on autopay and I have tasks that I do on a routine basis at work. But for most of us - the non-entrepreneur, non-executive, non-billionaire regular working schmo - much of this is not too terribly relevant. I can't hire a virtual assistant in my civilian Army job. I can't even download many of these programs to my computer without an act of Congress. But there are jewels in her and I did take some of the suggestions to heart and will look to implement them.
April 4, 2015
I enjoyed reading this book because it made me think about my time management and how I could be more productive. (Stop wasting time on email and probably stop wasting time doing these reviews...lol).
However, the book is not for the average person because it suggests outsourcing with virtual assistants, etc. One thing that didn't make sense to me is that the author said to stop wasting your time doing errands or things that can be outsourced, yet he writes he spends all Sunday doing laundry. So how does he decide what is "outsourced" or important because it seems that would be something that should be outsourced.
However, the book is not for the average person because it suggests outsourcing with virtual assistants, etc. One thing that didn't make sense to me is that the author said to stop wasting your time doing errands or things that can be outsourced, yet he writes he spends all Sunday doing laundry. So how does he decide what is "outsourced" or important because it seems that would be something that should be outsourced.
July 21, 2017
This is a book of a type I’ve read quite frequently over the past decade, the type that suggest putting much of your life on autopilot by using services available over the web. There’s a lot of repetition compared to those other books, like “The Four Hour Work Week”, “Listful Thinking”, “Getting Organized in the Google Era”, and others. The benefit here is this seems a bit more recent than some of those other books, so the tools mentioned mostly still exist. And this is a short book – 2 CDs in the audiobook version. The size is right, and in effect this works as a kind of catalog of internet productivity tools. In my case, I did hear descriptions of a few tools I will look at later, if I remember them (part of the issue of listening while driving is you can’t take notes). If you are already well acquainted with Evernote and saved Google searches and the like, you probably won’t find a whole lot new here, but there’s a chance.
August 7, 2014
This book is like a walking ad for different websites. I don't think its very useful unless you have money for websites. The sites LOOK interesting and he promotes them, but I can't take his "reviews" of these sites seriously.
One of the sites (that I looked at) was shut down in July 2013. This book came out in April 2014. I don't buy that if he used this site he didn't notice when it went down. So, it makes me wonder which of these resources he actually uses regularly.
Some of the sites/apps listed are: insidetracker, idonethis.com, evernote, billshrink and aquanotes. There are SO many more listed. This book is pretty much a list of other peoples things.
Anyhow, some of these may be useful if you make decent money, but I don't. I don't know I just didn't find this book worth my time. Luckily, it was very short and I don't feel like I wasted too much of my life.
One of the sites (that I looked at) was shut down in July 2013. This book came out in April 2014. I don't buy that if he used this site he didn't notice when it went down. So, it makes me wonder which of these resources he actually uses regularly.
Some of the sites/apps listed are: insidetracker, idonethis.com, evernote, billshrink and aquanotes. There are SO many more listed. This book is pretty much a list of other peoples things.
Anyhow, some of these may be useful if you make decent money, but I don't. I don't know I just didn't find this book worth my time. Luckily, it was very short and I don't feel like I wasted too much of my life.
February 1, 2014
This was a great book and a very quick read. I was given this book because of the author's Crohn's and entrepreneurial background, and dove in instantly. Some of it was a little over the top (--Hiring people to do your grocery shopping?! Not very practical for most people.), but the apps and services talked about, paired with the tips for everyday life were priceless. Definitely recommend.
April 1, 2020
I read this book thanks to Blinkist.
This is basically a list of apps that you can use to do things. How is it a book?
The key message in this book:
Though life today seems to be stress-filled, there are ways to cut through the clutter and own your hours. With simple techniques and innovative new tools and services to guide you, you’ll be saving time for the things you love in no time at all.
Actionable advice:
De-clutter your inbox!
Use your e-mail service’s filter to automatically put all e-mails that have the term “Unsubscribe” and don’t have “FW” or “RE” in them in a folder called Optional. This will weed out a lot of non-essential and distracting e-mails from your inbox that you can look at later once you’ve got time.
Suggested further reading:
Scrum by Jeff Sutherland
Learn all about Scrum, the project management system that has revolutionized the technology industry. This is a uniquely adaptive, flexible system that allows teams to plan realistically and adjust their goals through constant feedback. By using Scrum, your team can improve their productivity (and the final result) without creating needless stress or working longer hours. To find these blinks, press “I’m done” at the bottom of the screen.
This is basically a list of apps that you can use to do things. How is it a book?
The key message in this book:
Though life today seems to be stress-filled, there are ways to cut through the clutter and own your hours. With simple techniques and innovative new tools and services to guide you, you’ll be saving time for the things you love in no time at all.
Actionable advice:
De-clutter your inbox!
Use your e-mail service’s filter to automatically put all e-mails that have the term “Unsubscribe” and don’t have “FW” or “RE” in them in a folder called Optional. This will weed out a lot of non-essential and distracting e-mails from your inbox that you can look at later once you’ve got time.
Suggested further reading:
Scrum by Jeff Sutherland
Learn all about Scrum, the project management system that has revolutionized the technology industry. This is a uniquely adaptive, flexible system that allows teams to plan realistically and adjust their goals through constant feedback. By using Scrum, your team can improve their productivity (and the final result) without creating needless stress or working longer hours. To find these blinks, press “I’m done” at the bottom of the screen.
November 29, 2014
I can understand why many reviewers have bashed this book. It goes beyond most people's comfort zones. The idea of outsourcing a huge portion of your life is hard to swallow even if you have the money to afford it. Most of the ideas in this book I was already familiar with via Tim Ferriss, Mike Vardy and others in the "less doing/efficiency" industry. But having said all that, I was still genuinely entertained by all of the concepts and I thought that Meisel packaged them in a way that was easy to understand and never felt like it was dragging on. It's certainly a quick read and no one is going to mistake Ari's writing style for anything more profound. If you're curious and you only want to spend a few bucks (or free from the library as I did) give this book a shot. If you're really serious about making wholesale productivity changes to your life maybe your money is better spent on one of Meisel's courses through Skillshare or CreativeLive! Or of course JUST GOOGLE IT for you cheapskates.
February 2, 2015
Very short listen. There is definitely some good information here, but I wonder about the value of being overly efficient within oneself when it often means that you're creating a LOT of overhead outside of yourself.
For example, it seems a little bit wasteful overall to get Amazon to deliver all of your sundries when it might take fewer resources to go out and buy those things yourself. And I'm not talking about your own resources, but your resources added to all the other resources needed to make a home delivery happen. Maybe it's about equal... I don't know.
Also, there is so much joy in just *being*. If I set myself a task of checking email or reviewing blogs while I'm walking my dog, I'm really not enjoying having a connection with my dog or simply enjoying the walk itself and breathing the air.
I see a LOT of good ideas/suggestions in this book. Especially relating to the balance of health in your life. I just think his whole approach is probably not for everyone. It depends on your goals.
For example, it seems a little bit wasteful overall to get Amazon to deliver all of your sundries when it might take fewer resources to go out and buy those things yourself. And I'm not talking about your own resources, but your resources added to all the other resources needed to make a home delivery happen. Maybe it's about equal... I don't know.
Also, there is so much joy in just *being*. If I set myself a task of checking email or reviewing blogs while I'm walking my dog, I'm really not enjoying having a connection with my dog or simply enjoying the walk itself and breathing the air.
I see a LOT of good ideas/suggestions in this book. Especially relating to the balance of health in your life. I just think his whole approach is probably not for everyone. It depends on your goals.
May 22, 2016
This book is aimed at those stress loving folk who run their own businesses or have lots of activities. Since most of the advice is about software, this book will be obsolete in a few years. If your an retired idler like myself with bills on autopay you will find a bit of useful info but it won't be a knockout.
On the other hand, if your stuck in the high stress lifestyle, this book could be a lifesaver. Organize your life into processes so other people can do routine tasks for you. Handle information and contacts in the most efficient manner possible. Outsource or automate routine errands and take care of your body (good advice!).
The outsourcing and assistant sites are interesting to read about, they are in the USA, unlike other books that touted services in India. Are we creating digital sweatshops? The prices seem quite low. I will still do my own grocery shopping, I'm not into the temp servant scene. The book is a short and quick read, the author writes for his busy core audience.
On the other hand, if your stuck in the high stress lifestyle, this book could be a lifesaver. Organize your life into processes so other people can do routine tasks for you. Handle information and contacts in the most efficient manner possible. Outsource or automate routine errands and take care of your body (good advice!).
The outsourcing and assistant sites are interesting to read about, they are in the USA, unlike other books that touted services in India. Are we creating digital sweatshops? The prices seem quite low. I will still do my own grocery shopping, I'm not into the temp servant scene. The book is a short and quick read, the author writes for his busy core audience.
April 17, 2015
This book may be better to read than to listen to. Some good ideas on how to simplify life. It is best to take what you can and leave the rest. It would have been better to include more on how to protect yourself if you are going to allow others to do things for you that require having your personal information, like making travel reservations. Overall, the concept is good. I work only three days a week. They are long days, but I prefer to have flexibility on the other days. I think it is a great system if you can make it happen in your life. And if you can't, then implementing this system only as much as you can is already likely to lead to greater productivity.
February 26, 2015
I expected a mostly theoretical approach discussing how a minimalist mindset can free up our time and mental resources, but this book is packed full of practical suggestions for doing this. Hallelujah! I've been trying for years to accomplish this and it seems nearly impossible to tame all the input. I'll be putting his suggestions into practice.
March 11, 2022
What a dumb book.
Unless you’re self employed, you’re not going to learn much in this.
Plus it’s not about DOING LESS so you can appreciate life more as the title implies. It’s about using technology to streamline your work, which is great, IF YOU’RE SELF EMPLOYED.
The author is a workaholic who streamlines his work so he can work more.
Anyway, all I learned was to create an email folder called OPTIONAL and filter anything that has the word “unsubscribe” but not “re” or “fwd”. You’re welcome.
Oh, and because this was published in 2014, much of the tech he mentioned is no longer free OR is outdated.
Unless you’re self employed, you’re not going to learn much in this.
Plus it’s not about DOING LESS so you can appreciate life more as the title implies. It’s about using technology to streamline your work, which is great, IF YOU’RE SELF EMPLOYED.
The author is a workaholic who streamlines his work so he can work more.
Anyway, all I learned was to create an email folder called OPTIONAL and filter anything that has the word “unsubscribe” but not “re” or “fwd”. You’re welcome.
Oh, and because this was published in 2014, much of the tech he mentioned is no longer free OR is outdated.
October 25, 2017
Best productivity book I have come across in a while. Ari Meisel, diagnosed with Crohn's disease turned around his life with consistency, hard work, and an efficient lifestyle. In 'Less Doing, More Living', he teaches the philosophy and explores the principles of achieving more in limited time with limited effort by optimizing, automating, and outsourcing the daily tasks. He provides tools and resources to streamline and improve day-to-day activities.
September 14, 2021
I won’t give this book a 5 star because it doesn’t have a storyline but it does deserves a 4 star rating because:
It has a list of most useful apps and websites
With examples of how to use them
And with a summarized list in the end
It has a list of most useful apps and websites
With examples of how to use them
And with a summarized list in the end
May 28, 2021
My first big question from this book is: if you're just outsourcing tasks to other people, are they doing the same? No, wait, that's my second question. The first question really should be: how did this blog post get published as a book as it largely consists of reviews of online services/tools, many of which may be obsolete by now?
The basic jist of this book is "efficiency." Use the tools in the world around you to cope with the information overload and avoid getting bogged down in time-sucking tasks. Even though this book is 7 years old, I have heard of "Fancy Hands" or other virtual assistants and hiring one to do research for an upcoming trip would have saved me a lot of time over the years.
Meisel is also a ruthless inbox weeder -- as I am -- setting an upper limit on the inbox with a Do/Defer/Delete process. I get to "0" at least twice a week and set reminders on items for follow-up using Outlook (rather than some external service).
Funniest story was how he used an email reminder service to send a daily reminder on a question he had to a commercial service provider -- after 63 days they answered his question and begged he shut off the reminder function. Meisel has a course on udemy as of the printing of this book -- I'd recommend looking for his works online rather than reading dead-trees with bit.ly links printed across several pages.
The basic jist of this book is "efficiency." Use the tools in the world around you to cope with the information overload and avoid getting bogged down in time-sucking tasks. Even though this book is 7 years old, I have heard of "Fancy Hands" or other virtual assistants and hiring one to do research for an upcoming trip would have saved me a lot of time over the years.
Meisel is also a ruthless inbox weeder -- as I am -- setting an upper limit on the inbox with a Do/Defer/Delete process. I get to "0" at least twice a week and set reminders on items for follow-up using Outlook (rather than some external service).
Funniest story was how he used an email reminder service to send a daily reminder on a question he had to a commercial service provider -- after 63 days they answered his question and begged he shut off the reminder function. Meisel has a course on udemy as of the printing of this book -- I'd recommend looking for his works online rather than reading dead-trees with bit.ly links printed across several pages.
July 23, 2018
فكرة الكتاب ..
رتب الفوضى الى جواك
ارمى خوفك ..كسلك والنسيان ورا ضهرك
اخاف اسيب الحاجة .. اخاف متابعش الشغل حتى وانا فى البيت فبالتالى الفوضى هتعم حياتى فى البيت
لازم نفصل ونحط حدود ..
الكسل عند اتخاذ القرارات ..اعمل ده ولا لا ..واحتار فأكسل اخد القرار
ده كله غلط
رتب حياتك ..ان كان وقت . ممتلكات..علاقات ملهاش لازمة فى حياتك
رتب الفوضى الى جواك
ارمى خوفك ..كسلك والنسيان ورا ضهرك
اخاف اسيب الحاجة .. اخاف متابعش الشغل حتى وانا فى البيت فبالتالى الفوضى هتعم حياتى فى البيت
لازم نفصل ونحط حدود ..
الكسل عند اتخاذ القرارات ..اعمل ده ولا لا ..واحتار فأكسل اخد القرار
ده كله غلط
رتب حياتك ..ان كان وقت . ممتلكات..علاقات ملهاش لازمة فى حياتك
June 8, 2020
A very useful book, it's all about us and what's around, it's us who choose...
Put a limit and don't go behind it, if yes put this effort in something that worth it
Put a limit and don't go behind it, if yes put this effort in something that worth it
January 12, 2023
Nothing special, more like a good blog post with good resources. However, every single time I revisit the basics of life automation I find another tool, trick, or habit that help me perform at a higher level. And this book has certainly added a few items to the list.
February 21, 2019
Great information, but it reads like an infomercial, I found it hard to take seriously as I had to wonder if he is being paid to promote, or otherwise self-promoting tools he's invested in.
January 8, 2023
Too often we go through life busy with so many “important” things that take up our entire nights and weekends (for us 9-5 folks) it’s often challenging as we to squeeze in many of the things we really want to do without being overly exhausted.
If the point of this book was to get folks to consider ways to focus on what you want to do and not get as boggled down in the minutiae of everyday tasks, then it works. I love all of the services and sites that we can use. While I won’t adopt all of these specific recommendations, it definitely gave me some additional ideas. Oh and I also like the inclusion of the importance of health and wellness.
If the point of this book was to get folks to consider ways to focus on what you want to do and not get as boggled down in the minutiae of everyday tasks, then it works. I love all of the services and sites that we can use. While I won’t adopt all of these specific recommendations, it definitely gave me some additional ideas. Oh and I also like the inclusion of the importance of health and wellness.
January 2, 2017
It was a quick reminder on ways I can automate and outsource more -it's a quick read and even though a few of the tools suggested are outdated, some companies shut down.
And I disagree with Evernote, and a couple of others. I did however sign up for Contactually like he suggested.
And I disagree with Evernote, and a couple of others. I did however sign up for Contactually like he suggested.
February 23, 2015
This book was not for me. As others have written, it is designed to be a guide to websites and apps that help 'simplify' and computerize your life. This was slightly confusing to me because at an early part of the book, Meisel wants you to minimize the icons on your desktop: he claims he has two. Yet he recommends apps/websites/etc in every section.
I, for one, do not have the $ to hire people to shop for me at Ikea, put the item together, deliver it to a birthday child and sing happy birthday to them. I thought the 'less doing' in the title was limiting your wasteful habits rather than automate your life via computer.
I, for one, do not have the $ to hire people to shop for me at Ikea, put the item together, deliver it to a birthday child and sing happy birthday to them. I thought the 'less doing' in the title was limiting your wasteful habits rather than automate your life via computer.
April 27, 2018
Interesting, but I'm not convinced.
In the old days, secretaries took care of appointments, travel, schedules, and much more. Split that one secretary into about 30 people, and give each person one of the jobs, and then automate your interaction with that person.... and it seems you are then going to "do less and live more".
I am of the opinion that while using more and more tricks and tips and offloading work can be helpful, sometimes it is helpful to cultivate relationships with real people.
So the concept is interesting.... but I didn't see the value in automating so much. If you have that much, then hire a secretary! Invest in real people.
In the old days, secretaries took care of appointments, travel, schedules, and much more. Split that one secretary into about 30 people, and give each person one of the jobs, and then automate your interaction with that person.... and it seems you are then going to "do less and live more".
I am of the opinion that while using more and more tricks and tips and offloading work can be helpful, sometimes it is helpful to cultivate relationships with real people.
So the concept is interesting.... but I didn't see the value in automating so much. If you have that much, then hire a secretary! Invest in real people.
June 1, 2017
what did this guy do - pull together a couple blogs he wrote at some point and just copy them into some pages and call it a book? It seemed liked one big informercial on various apps to help you and then of course he closes out book offering to sell his services to you. Maybe I heard about one or two apps that sounded somewhat interesting but the book was basic and no real thought put into it.
May 23, 2014
Best Book I've Read in The Last Year.
In the last week I've spend over 20 hours implementing the systems and building my own based on Ari's framework. I've already saved about 1.5-2 hrs per day in wasted time and browsing :)
In the last week I've spend over 20 hours implementing the systems and building my own based on Ari's framework. I've already saved about 1.5-2 hrs per day in wasted time and browsing :)
October 4, 2020
Pretty good but not entirely realistic. I think if you have so disposable income it would work.
January 9, 2015
Practical guide for everyone who want boost their productivity more effective, less stress and anxiety.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews