Essentialism by Greg McKeown
Last updated: 2 October 2026
Essentialism by Greg McKeown argues that most of us say yes to too much, and sets out a method for doing fewer things properly. McKeown is a leadership consultant, originally from London, who has run workshops at Apple, Google and LinkedIn. The Virgin Books paperback has 304 pages and an RRP of £14.99, and Amazon UK had it at £12.25 on 2 October 2026.
The Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through one, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
What Essentialism by Greg McKeown is about
The subtitle is The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. McKeown's case is that trying to do everything spreads your effort so thin that nothing important moves forward. So the book is less about time management and more about choosing what to drop.
After an opening section on the mindset, the method runs in three stages. First you explore your options, then you eliminate everything that is not essential, and finally you make the remaining work as easy as possible to carry out.
Three techniques from the book
- The 90 percent rule: score an opportunity against your most important criterion. Anything below 90 out of 100 becomes a zero and gets turned down.
- Zero-based commitments: pretend every existing commitment has gone, then ask which ones you would take on again today. The rest are candidates to drop.
- A 50 percent buffer: add half again to every time estimate, because people routinely underestimate how long tasks take.
None of this needs an app or a special notebook. That makes it easy to try one idea for a week and see whether your diary changes.
About Greg McKeown
McKeown is originally from London, has an MBA from Stanford and now lives in California. He runs a leadership and strategy company in Silicon Valley, and the World Economic Forum named him a Young Global Leader. In 2021 he followed this book with Effortless, about making important work easier to do.
Key facts
- Author: Greg McKeown
- Publisher: Virgin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House
- This edition: paperback, 17 April 2014
- Format: 304 pages, also sold as an ebook and an audiobook
- ISBN: 9780753555163
- Price: £14.99 RRP, £12.25 on Amazon UK when we checked
Who it suits
- Designers, artists and architects: anyone juggling client work and their own projects, where every yes takes time from something else.
- Students: the zero-based exercise helps cut back a timetable that has got out of hand.
- Managers: much of the book comes from McKeown's work with leadership teams, so the examples are about meetings, projects and priorities.
The limits
The method assumes you have some control over what you take on. If your workload is set by a boss or by caring duties, the chapters on saying no are harder to apply. Most of the examples also come from corporate and Silicon Valley settings, so readers outside an office will need to adapt them to their own week.
Where to buy it in the UK
Amazon UK had the paperback at £12.25, which is £2.74 under the RRP. Publisher details and the audiobook edition are on Penguin's Essentialism page. If you would rather listen, our Audible UK guide explains the plans and prices.
FAQs
What is Essentialism by Greg McKeown about?
It is about doing fewer things better. McKeown sets out a method for working out what matters most, cutting the rest and making the important work easier to do.
How long is Essentialism?
The UK paperback has 304 pages.
How much does Essentialism cost?
The RRP is £14.99. Amazon UK had the paperback at £12.25 on 2 October 2026.
What is the 90 percent rule?
You score an option against your most important criterion. Anything under 90 out of 100 counts as a zero and you say no to it.
Is there a follow-up to Essentialism?
Yes. Greg McKeown published Effortless in 2021, which focuses on making important work easier to do.
More from CoolCuration
- The Creative Act by Rick Rubin: the record producer on how to keep making work.
- reMarkable Paper Pro review: a paper-like tablet for notes without notifications.
- 1Blocker: an iPhone content blocker that cuts ads and trackers.
- Gifts for designers: tools and books for people who make things.
- Wabi Sabi: the Japanese idea of finding beauty in imperfection.
Other gift guides:
Follow us: Instagram
Copyright 2026 CoolCuration | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Affiliate Disclosure | Cool Factor
-----------
We are proud supporters of a safer more private internet via encouraging people to use Brave browser and are actively taking on Spammers as part of ProjectHoneypot. This site is hosted on servers that run on 100% renewable energy in the UK thanks to GreenWebHosting.
This site contains affiliate links, including to Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase or sign up for a service via these links, at no extra cost to you. All offers and promotions are accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change or withdrawal by the businesses featured. We cannot guarantee their continued availability. Read our full affiliate disclosure.
Reviews and opinions on CoolCuration reflect the personal experience of our writers at the time of publication. They are not professional endorsements and your experience may differ. Scores use our Cool Factor rating system and are given independently of any commercial relationship.
All content on CoolCuration is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendations or an endorsement of any product or service. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and do not offer personalised financial guidance. You should always do your own research or consult a qualified financial advisor before making any financial decisions.