Let Efforts Stay Simple: A Framework for Mission-Driven Work
š Intro
I love consuming information. As a child, Iād spend hours flipping through the World Book 75th Anniversary Edition from 1992. Mind you, it was 1999āso some of the facts were outdated. But I didnāt care. I just wanted to understand the world and how to navigate it.
That desire hasnāt gone away. These days, I still consume information, but now I pair research with real-life experiences.
š Context Setting: What I'm Noticing Lately
Over the past 10 years, Iāve had plenty of experiences with feeling overwhelmed and overworked. Lately, Iāve been hearing the same from more and more people. At the same time, I keep seeing article after article about organizations asking staff to do more with lessāfrom big tech to school districts.
My inner child has been taking it all ināand now, I want to share a simple framework Iāve started using to better navigate work and life: LESS (Let Efforts Stay Simple).
š” Why LESS?
When youāre a passionate, mission-driven person, choosing to do LESS can feel counterintuitiveāor even irresponsible. But Iām learning that people who commit to LESS actually create more impactāand theyāre able to sustain that impact. LESS helps us get clear about our purpose, our priorities, and whatās actually realistic.
āØ The 3 Principles of LESS
Principle 1: Imagine Tomorrow, Build Today
The most common challenge I see is trying to build the future before tending to the present. This looks like spending 45 minutes planning for hypotheticalsāwhile real tasks go untouched. āImagine Tomorrow, Build Todayā invites us to dream big without obsessing over every step. It asks us to identify one action we can take today that moves us toward that vision. The challenge here? Getting comfortable with the gap between where we are and where we hope to be.
Principle 2: Simplify Tasks, Simplify Language
The second challenge is overcomplication. This looks like explaining something in 10 minutes that couldāve been said in five wordsāor assigning a one-week deadline for a task that needs four. This principle encourages us to strip away unnecessary complexity in how we communicate, solve problems, and plan. The challenge here is learning to value small, doable steps and adopting a mindset of experimentation.
Principle 3: Breathe First, Act Second
The third challenge is reacting without reflecting. For example, launching a new initiative in response to policy shiftsāeven if your team is already stretched and itās not your area of expertise. āBreathe First, Act Secondā reminds us to pause and reflect before we move. The challenge? Embracing stillness as part of the work.
š Putting It Into Practice
By practicing these principles, you can begin to move toward LESSāand in doing so, create more meaningful, lasting impact for your team and your community.
š„ CTA (Call to Action)
Want to learn more about the LESS Framework and our three principles? Schedule a call to chat about work.
