I picked up this thought on life simplification from Marcus Aurelius' meditations. How stupid we are at work and at home in our attempt to achieve too many things at once and fall flat in the process.
If you want to be happy says Democritus -do little. May it not be better to do what is necessary ,what the reason of a naturally social being demands and the way reason demands it be done. This brings the happiness both of right action and of little action. Most of what we say and do is unnecessary . Remove the superfluity , and you will have more time and less bother. So in every case one should prompt oneself - is this or is it not something necessary. And the removal of the unnecessary should apply not only to actions but to thoughts also ; then no redundant actions either will follow.
If you want to be happy says Democritus -do little. May it not be better to do what is necessary ,what the reason of a naturally social being demands and the way reason demands it be done. This brings the happiness both of right action and of little action. Most of what we say and do is unnecessary . Remove the superfluity , and you will have more time and less bother. So in every case one should prompt oneself - is this or is it not something necessary. And the removal of the unnecessary should apply not only to actions but to thoughts also ; then no redundant actions either will follow.
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