Why ‘Doing Less’ Is Quietly Becoming The Most Aspirational Lifestyle Trend
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Why doing less is emerging as the new marker of success. Experts explain how slowing down helps fight burnout, reclaim focus, and live with intention.
Doing less isn’t about slowing down, it’s about tuning in. A quiet shift toward intention, focus, and meaningful living is redefining what success looks like today.
For years, busyness was worn like a badge of honour. Full calendars, constant notifications, and the unspoken pressure to always be “on” became markers of success. But something is shifting. Quietly, deliberately, and almost rebelliously, doing less is emerging as one of the most aspirational lifestyle choices of our time.
Dr Malini Saba, psychologist, human and social rights activist, and founder of the Saba Family Foundation, believes modern exhaustion isn’t surprising, it’s inevitable.
“From the moment your head hits the pillow, it’s constant: work, messages, errands, meetings, scrolling, and comparing yourself to everyone else,” she explains. “No wonder you feel drained. And yet you keep going, because that’s what everyone does, right?”
But Dr Saba believes that doing less isn’t about giving up, it’s about discernment. Especially for people who have built careers, businesses, or families from the ground up, she notes that being busy is often confused with being effective.
“Doing less is noticing what actually matters,” she says. “It’s understanding that the clearest decisions and strongest ideas come when you slow down, instead of running on empty.”
This philosophy extends beyond personal productivity into how we show up for others. Dr Saba points out that even giving back doesn’t require doing more, it requires doing better. “When you slow down, you realise that contribution is about showing up thoughtfully, directing your time and resources where they can genuinely change someone’s life.”
Her perspective is deeply rooted in presence. From pausing to actually savour a cup of coffee, to watching your children instead of rushing past their mess and noise, to stepping outside just long enough to feel the wind and notice the trees, doing less creates room to reconnect with life as it’s happening.
“Doing less gives you space to think, to breathe, and to choose instead of constantly reacting,” she says. “It’s choosing presence, purpose, and intention over noise, busyness, and burnout.”
While this shift may feel personal, it’s also being driven by larger structural forces shaping how we live and work.
Navyug Mohnot, a Stanford-trained Life Design Educator and Certified Coach, believes burnout, while still visible is no longer the core issue. “Burnout will remain visible in 2026,” he explains, “but uncertainty will be the deeper, defining challenge shaping how we work and live.”
Geopolitical instability, rapid AI disruption, financial volatility, and changing workforce expectations have created a state of sustained ambiguity. In this context, Mohnot argues, burnout is less an individual failure and more a symptom of chronic uncertainty.
“As a result,” he says, “doing less is emerging not as disengagement, but as a way to reclaim clarity and control.”
He notes that organisations and individuals who prioritise direction, adaptability, and meaningful work, rather than relying solely on surface-level wellness initiatives are far better equipped to cope with this new reality.
This cultural reset also challenges the long-held myth of multitasking. As Mohnot points out, neuroscience has long shown that the brain doesn’t truly multitask, it switches. That constant switching fragments attention, increases errors, and leaves people exhausted but unfulfilled.
Drawing on ideas popularised by Cal Newport, Mohnot emphasises that real value is created through sustained, distraction-free focus. “Doing less, but with depth, delivers far greater impact than doing more in fragments,” he says.
Perhaps the clearest signal of this shift comes from Gen Z. Research consistently shows that nearly three-quarters of young professionals prioritise satisfaction and work-life balance over pay, with balance playing a decisive role in job choices. For them, success is no longer defined by relentless hustle, but by intentional, human-centred living.
Taken together, these perspectives reveal a powerful truth: life isn’t about how much you do, it’s about how fully you live.
As Dr Saba puts it, “You don’t have to do everything. You don’t have to be everywhere or respond to everything. Pick what matters. Let the rest go. Your work, your relationships, and your happiness will all thank you for it.”
In a world that constantly demands more, choosing less may just be the most meaningful and aspirational decision of all.
January 25, 2026, 08:54 IST
