Doing less: 7 rituals that bring more peace

We’re always told to do more. More productivity. More goals. More hustle.

But what if peace isn’t hiding in the next achievement—but in the spaces we keep skipping over?

I’ve spent most of my adult life striving. First in a fast-paced finance job, and later as a writer constantly juggling deadlines.

I was good at getting things done. But I wasn’t good at stopping. Or resting. Or allowing things to be…enough.

Eventually, I realized something had to shift. I didn’t want a life filled with impressive checklists but an anxious mind.

I wanted to feel calm. Steady. Whole.

So I began exploring the idea of doing less—but doing it with more intention.

What follows are seven rituals that helped me (and many others) slow down and reconnect—with ourselves, our energy, and what really matters.

No fluff, just practical shifts backed by wisdom, experience, and a few hard-earned lessons.

1. Wake up slower

Not everything has to start with a bang.

For years, my mornings were a blur. I’d wake up and immediately reach for my phone, scroll through emails, check the weather, check the news—before I’d even gotten out of bed. Within ten minutes, I was already behind.

These days, I do less first thing. And it’s made all the difference.

I don’t meditate for an hour or dive into a deep journaling practice (kudos if that works for you), but I give myself space. A few minutes of stillness. A quiet coffee.

Sometimes, I just sit and do nothing. And the funny part? I get more done afterward because I’m not starting from a place of tension.

This is exactly what James Clear meant when he wrote, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

How we begin our day matters. Not because it’s about productivity, but because it sets the tone for how we treat ourselves.

Doing less in the morning helped me show up to my life with more presence—and that’s a trade I’ll take any day.

2. Create white space in your calendar

I used to believe that if there was an open hour in my day, I should fill it.

A client call? Sure. A catch-up coffee? Of course. A new project? Why not?

But constantly saying yes left me feeling squeezed, even in the quiet moments. I had no time to think, no room to breathe.

That’s when I started blocking out actual blank space in my calendar. I label it “nothing.” Literally.

And here’s the thing—it’s not wasted time. It’s processing time. Recovery time. The kind of space where your best ideas quietly emerge.

Peter Drucker once wrote, “Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed.”

I come back to that line often. Because the more I guard my time, the more peace I find in it.

Doing less doesn’t mean doing nothing. It means doing what matters—and letting go of the compulsion to fill every gap.

3. Walk without a destination

When was the last time you went for a walk with no purpose?

Not to burn calories. Not to take a call. Not even to listen to a podcast. Just…walked?

It sounds almost indulgent, doesn’t it?

But it’s become one of my favorite rituals for peace. No expectations. No headphones. Just me, moving through the world slowly.

Sometimes I notice the shifting leaves. Other times, I let my thoughts drift without holding on to any of them.

There’s something healing about movement without urgency. It reminds me that life doesn’t have to be efficient to be meaningful.

We don’t need a productivity outcome for every action. Sometimes, the outcome is just a calmer nervous system and a clearer mind.

And that’s more than enough.

4. Keep one promise to yourself each day

I used to think peace would come once I got everything under control. The emails. The dishes. The deadlines.

But peace isn’t about perfect order—it’s about self-trust.

Now, instead of trying to conquer the whole list, I just focus on keeping one small promise to myself each day.

Some days it’s a slow lunch. Other days, it’s getting outside before noon. Sometimes it’s just putting my phone in another room for an hour.

The ritual isn’t about what I do—it’s about following through.

This quiet discipline grounds me more than any hustle ever did.

As Jocko Willink said, “Discipline equals freedom.” It’s not about rigidity. It’s about choosing what matters and honoring it, even in small ways.

Because the more consistently I show up for myself, the less I feel the need to prove anything to anyone else.

5. Let your emotions speak

For a long time, I treated emotions like obstacles.

If I felt overwhelmed, I pushed harder. If I felt anxious, I worked later. If sadness crept in, I’d distract myself.

I thought peace came from staying in control. But honestly? That approach just made me tired.

Reading Rudá Iandê’s new book Laughing in the Face of Chaos made me rethink this completely.

His insights helped me see that emotions aren’t problems to fix—they’re messages to listen to. One line from the book especially stuck with me:

“Our emotions are not barriers, but profound gateways to the soul—portals to the vast, uncharted landscapes of our inner being.”

That shifted something in me.

Now, when I feel something uncomfortable, I try to pause and check in. What’s this feeling trying to tell me? What needs are going unmet? What am I pushing down?

This ritual of emotional listening doesn’t take long, but it’s powerful. Because when you stop fighting yourself, things start to settle.

And peace becomes less of a mystery and more of a natural state.

6. Say no without a backstory

Ever find yourself writing a novel just to decline an invitation?

I used to over-explain every no: “I’d love to, but I’ve just got so much going on,” or “Maybe next week when things slow down!” Spoiler: they never did.

Somewhere along the way, I realized that peace requires boundaries—and boundaries require simplicity.

Now, I say no without the guilt-laced paragraph. “Thanks for thinking of me, but I can’t make it.” That’s it. No apology. No fake rain check. No anxiety afterward.

It might sound small, but this is one of the most liberating rituals I’ve added to my life. Because when you stop trying to manage how everyone else feels about your time, you get to reclaim it.

And I’ve learned: when people respect your “no,” they’re more likely to respect your “yes” too.

7. Stop multitasking the moment

I used to feel proud of how many tabs I could mentally keep open.

I’d reply to messages while folding laundry, brainstorm articles during dinner, scroll social media while half-watching a movie. It made me feel productive—until it made me feel scattered.

The truth is, I wasn’t fully present for any of it. And slowly, I noticed I wasn’t enjoying things the way I used to.

Meals were rushed. Walks were distracted. Conversations felt half-heard.

So I made a small shift: single-tasking. If I’m sipping tea, I just sip tea. If I’m talking to someone, I’m really there.

And when my mind inevitably starts to wander, I just bring it back. Gently.

Doing less in each moment has made those moments feel fuller.

And oddly enough, I don’t feel like I’ve lost time. I feel like I’ve finally arrived in it.

Final thoughts

Here’s what I’ve learned: peace isn’t something we stumble upon when life finally calms down. It’s something we cultivate—one intentional decision at a time.

Doing less isn’t lazy or passive. It’s powerful.

It’s choosing quality over quantity. Depth over noise. Presence over pressure.

These seven rituals aren’t about achieving perfection—they’re about creating rhythm. A rhythm that supports who you really are, not who you’re trying to keep up with.

Because as Rudá Iandê writes in Laughing in the Face of Chaos, “When we stop resisting ourselves, we become whole. And in that wholeness, we discover a reservoir of strength, creativity, and resilience we never knew we had.”

And that’s the kind of peace I’m after. You?