Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

The chapter discusses Frank O’Brien, founder of a New York marketing company, who initiates monthly full-day meetings with no phones, emails, or predefined agenda, allowing for reflective thinking and conversation. This practice allows employees to prioritize essential tasks by providing space and time to think. The chapter emphasizes the necessity to create this space by design, not default. Examples include leaders in companies like LinkedIn and Microsoft, who designate time for solitude and reflection amidst their busy schedules. The chapter stresses that focus is a function of constant adjustment and adaptability rather than fixation. This can be achieved through mechanisms like reading classic literature, creating physical space for focus, or just consciously setting aside time to think. The idea is to discern the essential from the trivial by creating mental space amidst the daily clamor.

Chapter 6 begins with an anecdote from Nora Ephron’s journalism class, where her teacher, Charlie Simms, underscores that the most crucial aspect of a news story is not necessarily the most apparent. Simms illustrates this point by showing students that the headline in an event about faculty members attending a colloquium was the cancellation of school that day.