Redefining Efficiency After Chasing It Too Long

When "Efficiency" Becomes a Trap

For a long time, I was totally caught up in the idea of "efficiency." But then I came across one sentence that changed how I see it:

True efficiency means using your precious time to do things that are truly meaningful. It doesn’t mean doing a lot in a short time.” (Yataro Matsuura, from “Starting from Scratch”)

I used to read all those Medium posts and social media tips like “Efficiency is everything!” or “7 Hacks to Maximize Your Productivity!” I even played a part in promoting it—when I was a KonMari consultant, I would say things like, “Let me help you tidy up so you can be more efficient at work and at home!”

But at the same time, efficiency always felt kind of cold and robotic to me. I started to wonder why I was measuring my days by how many tasks I finished—like I was some kind of factory machine. And what was waiting for me at the end of all that efficiency? More tasks! I just kept filling my newly “free” time with more things to do. I was running around non-stop, and eventually I started to feel totally disconnected from the why behind everything I was doing.

Stopping Made Me Think

Last month, my body just wasn’t keeping up. I couldn’t do much, even when I wanted to. So this month, as I started to recover, I spent some time thinking: What do I actually want to spend my time on? What kind of feelings do I want to have in my day? I read books, reflected a bit, and that’s when I found that quote. It helped me realize something really simple but powerful: When time is limited, what you choose to do really matters. And once you choose that “what,” you have to ask: Why? That’s how you find the value in it.

My Little List of Meaningful Things

Here are some things that feel valuable to me right now, and why:

• Writing this blog – because it helps me save little seeds of ideas that are important to me, and maybe even help someone else.
• Drawing illustrations – because it’s fun, and it’s my unique way of communicating and connecting with people.
• Making a delicious dinner every night – because my husband’s and my health matters, and I love the time we spend chatting over a good meal.
• Cleaning, tidying, and taking care of plants – because I want our home to be a cozy, restful space where my husband and I can recharge for the next day.
  

When I look at things this way, the other stuff—like posting on Instagram or rushing to print something in time for Zine Fest—suddenly doesn’t feel important anymore. I could let it go, just like that.

And when there’s less on my plate, I can really focus on each thing. That leads to more satisfaction, more of a feeling of “I did it!” And when I have more time, I naturally feel calmer too.

Letting Go Isn’t Just for the Sake of It

I’ve thought a lot about “letting go” ever since I learned about the KonMari method. But this time, I feel like I’ve found a new, deeper kind of guide: a way to ask myself, “How do I want to use my limited time—by letting go of the rest?” It’s a simple question, but it really changed something for me. So I wanted to share it with you too—just in case you’ve been feeling a little bit like a task machine lately.