At the beginning of the year, we asked experts on how we can go easier on ourselves. They gave us 52 ways to do less in life, from day-to-day tasks to longer-term planning.
We also wanted to know what you’ll be doing less of in 2026. Here, nine readers share their strategies.
Let them
Perhaps unsurprising given last year’s bestselling self-help book in Australia was The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins, many readers learned to stop bending over backwards for others. Eva let go of being the emotional diplomat in every social situation. She now resists the urge to resolve every conflict, sustains 30 seconds of “awkwardness” in difficult interactions, and leaves others to “clear their own mess”, she wrote. As a result, she has more emotional energy. “I realised that trying to keep everybody happy was counterproductive to me and my family’s long-term wellbeing.”
Embrace imperfect travel
Marion used to trawl through every flight and accommodation option to find the optimal combination. Now she just picks the first thing that works with her needs and budget. “No one was waiting for the perfect option; I was putting that pressure on myself,” said Marion. This has “saved a lot of time and mental energy”, and now travel planning, she wrote, has become “fun again”.
Call more, text less
Like many others, Maya’s quick glance at her phone to read and respond to texts would turn into a scrolling marathon. To avoid getting sucked into her phone and to have more meaningful conversations with people in her life, she replaced texting with phone calls. This change meant Maya found a deeper connection with a first date after he became hard to pin down over text. “We got to know each other so much more quickly,” she said. While the relationship didn’t work out, she has no regrets about making the switch. “We would have never gotten that far if we hadn’t switched primarily to calling.”
Switching from texting to phone calls can foster more meaningful connections. Photograph: MementoJpeg/Getty Images
Plan your downtime
Running a small business, Jane felt she always had to be “on”. If she wasn’t working, she was thinking about work, and would become overwhelmed by how much there was to do. In order to switch off, Jane started intentionally organising downtime into her week. “I’ve given myself permission to not do anything work related at those times, even answering the phone,” she wrote. She now has found time for gardening, reading or simply doing “nothing”.
Take a holiday from the holidays
The period between Christmas and the new year can either be a blissful prolonged food coma or a revolving door of guests who require entertaining. Most holiday seasons have been the latter for Emma. For 19 years, she has hosted one side of her family during Christmas and the other on New Year’s Eve. “I was on my knees trying to make everyone’s holiday perfect,” Emma wrote. This past holiday season she told her family she wouldn’t be playing host. It was an “enormous” relief to truly relax with her partner, she said.
Don’t get too much into the weeds
Grace has become selective with her back yard, letting some parts grow wild rather than trying to tame the whole beast. “Now that I’ve literally and figuratively let that part of the garden go, I’ve got the energy and motivation to keep on top of general life admin,” she wrote. She has a smaller area that she cultivates and “potters” around with “much more enjoyment”.
Tick just one thing off your list
We all want to make the most out of our days, but sometimes we forget what’s realistic. Bill has scrapped his to-do lists and instead commits himself to completing just one task – usually the most important and urgent one. “You may achieve others as well, but the pressure is off when you don’t have to,” Bill said.
Take many micro-breaks
In 2013, Daniela’s homemade cappuccino changed her life. She was mesmerised watching the chocolate syrup coat her cup. “I felt time was dilating. I forgot the coffee entirely, entranced by this languid fall,” she wrote. Ever since, Daniela has introduced frequent mini-breaks into her day, stopping to observe the world around her. After these moments of stillness, she feels recharged and ready to continue with her day.
