I wasn’t exactly searching for a book when I stumbled on Do Less on Audible. I was just scrolling—somewhere between overwhelmed and over-it. The title caught my eye. Do Less? I scoffed. Who has the luxury of doing less when laundry piles mock you, your inbox is a war zone, and your kids think “rest” is a myth? But curiosity won. I clicked “Play.” And then Kate Northrup started to speak. Her voice—warm, grounded, and unapologetically real—drew me in like a late-night chat with a wise friend who isn’t here to impress you, just to help you breathe. This wasn’t a productivity hack book. This was a soul check. Each chapter peeled back layers I didn’t know I was carrying. It wasn’t just about time management—it was about energy, womanhood, motherhood, and reclaiming what we’ve been taught to ignore. Here are eight lessons that settled deep into my bones. And if you’ve ever felt like you’re running on empty but still sprinting—this book might just change your rhythm too.
1. Your Worth Isn’t in Your Doing: I didn’t realize how much of my identity was tied to how much I accomplish in a day—how clean the house is, how responsive I am, how “together” everything looks. But Kate reminded me: productivity is not the proof of my value. She says it plainly, but it lands with power: You are not a machine. Hearing that from another woman, another mother, gave me permission to pause—not because I finished my to-do list, but because I’m human. If you’re caught in the loop of “I’ll rest when it’s done,” this truth will hold your hand and lead you out.
2. Nature Has a Rhythm—And So Do You: The concept of cyclical living—working with the phases of your menstrual cycle and the moon—sounded a little woo-woo at first. But then Kate explained it like a rhythm we’ve forgotten to hear. And suddenly it made so much sense. Why do we expect ourselves to operate at peak performance every day? We don’t ask the moon to shine full every night. I started tracking my own energy flows and realized: my body was already speaking, I just hadn’t been listening. This idea alone could revolutionize the way women work and rest.
3. Rest Isn’t Laziness—It’s a Strategy: Kate doesn’t just encourage rest; she builds it into her success model. She challenged everything I’ve ever believed about rest being a reward for work. No. Rest is part of the work. She says if you want better ideas, deeper connection, and real clarity—go lie down. Take a nap. Step away. I started practicing this. Not every day, not perfectly. But enough to notice how much more me I am when I’m rested. It’s not about laziness—it’s about sustainability.
4. Choose What’s Essential—Then Let the Rest Go: One of the most liberating exercises Kate offers is the “do less” list. She walks you through figuring out what truly matters. Not what looks good. Not what other people expect. Just what’s essential for you. It hit me how many things I do out of guilt or habit. How much energy I pour into things that drain me. Now, I ask: Is this essential? And if it’s not, I give myself permission to release it. Freedom isn’t always found in doing more. Sometimes, it’s in saying no—firm and kind.
5. The Universe Responds to Spaciousness: Kate tells this story—one of many—that illustrates how opportunities often show up when you make space for them. Not when you hustle harder, but when you slow down and allow them in. I felt that. I’d been crowding my days with busyness, believing that effort equals outcome. But the most meaningful breakthroughs in my life? They came when I wasn’t grinding. This reminded me that doing less isn’t about laziness. It’s about trust.
6. Ask for Help Without Apology: As women—especially mothers—we often wear self-sufficiency like a badge. But Kate challenged that idea beautifully. She speaks about delegation not as weakness, but as wisdom. I realized how much I’ve resisted asking for help—not because I didn’t need it, but because I thought I shouldn’t. That mindset keeps us small and exhausted. Now, I’m learning to ask. Not sheepishly. Boldly. Because I’m not meant to carry everything alone. And neither are you.
7. Time Isn’t the Problem—It’s the Energy Behind It: This one turned my thinking inside out. I kept saying “I don’t have time.” Kate gently—and brilliantly—asks: Is it really time, or is it energy? When she broke down how our energy levels fluctuate, and how certain tasks drain us more than others, I saw my schedule in a new light. I wasn’t out of time—I was just burning out my energy doing things that weren’t aligned. Shift the energy, and the time often works itself out.
8. You Get to Define Success: This wasn’t just a throwaway phrase in Kate’s book—it was a recurring drumbeat. Her version of success didn’t look like more followers, more launches, or a full planner. It looked like peace. Fulfillment. Presence. It made me pause: What does success look like for me—truly? Not what I’ve been told, not what others expect, but what matters to my soul? I’m still answering that question. But the moment I started asking, something in me exhaled. And maybe, that’s where success begins.
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