The Stoic Approach to Doing Less: Why Less Can Lead to Tranquillity

“If you seek tranquillity, do less.”

Democritus, Frg. B.3 (as quoted by Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 4.24)

At first glance, this advice sounds like a call to laziness. But Marcus Aurelius, ever the clarifier, adds a twist: “Or rather, do only what’s essential.” In other words, the Stoic approach to doing less is not about withdrawing from life. It’s about cutting through the noise to focus on your duty.

We are bombarded by demands. Work, social obligations, digital pings, each asking for our attention. No wonder many people today are overwhelmed, anxious, and chronically tired. The Stoics offer a remedy: do what matters, drop what doesn’t.

The Stoic Approach to Doing Less

In Marcus’s terms, doing less means doing better. Not less effort, but more clarity. Not avoiding action, but choosing the right action.

This is a challenge. It requires discernment: What is essential? What aligns with nature, with reason, with your deeper purpose?

Here are three Stoic takeaways to help you act with intention:

1. Audit Your Actions
   Each evening, reflect: “What did I do today that was unnecessary?” Much of our suffering comes from things we don’t need to do in the first place.
   
2. Say No, Not Later
   Train yourself to say no sooner. Stoics aren’t crowd-pleasers. They protect their time and energy for meaningful contribution.
   
3. Make Room for Stillness
   Doing less opens up space for thought, for rest, for clarity. Tranquillity is not found by squeezing in more, but by clearing out what’s hollow.
   

When you embrace the Stoic approach to doing less, you are not withdrawing, you’re making room for your real work.

🔗 Want to explore more Stoic strategies? Book a free consultation with one of our Stoic Coaches or read more on the Marcus Aurelius Quotes page. You can also listen to the Via Stoica podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or watch it on YouTube.