Top 14 'Slow-Living' Minimalist Essays to read while the World Rushes By this winter
The air is crisp, the days are shorter, and the world seems to spin a little faster. Winter, with its festive cheer and end-of-year deadlines, can often feel like a frantic rush to the finish line. We're bombarded with messages to buy more, do more, and be more, leaving us feeling breathless and overwhelmed before the new year even begins.
But what if we chose a different path this season? Winter is also a natural time for hibernation, for turning inward and finding warmth. It’s an invitation to slow down, to trade the chaotic noise for quiet contemplation. This is the essence of slow living and minimalism—not about deprivation, but about intentionality. It's about clearing the clutter, both physical and mental, to make space for what truly matters.
So, pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa, find a comfortable chair, and wrap yourself in a warm blanket. Here is a curated list of 14 powerful, thought-provoking essays on slow living and minimalism. Let these words be your guide and your comfort, a gentle reminder to breathe and simply be while the world rushes by.
1. "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For" by Henry David Thoreau
This is the foundational text of intentional living. A core chapter from his masterpiece, Walden, this essay is Thoreau’s declaration of independence from a life of "quiet desperation." He argues for stripping life down to its essential components to truly experience its sublime reality. It’s a powerful, poetic call to wake up and live deliberately.
Reading this in the dead of winter feels particularly poignant. As nature sleeps outside, Thoreau’s words encourage us to examine the foundations of our own lives. Are we living a life of purpose, or are we merely caught in the current of societal expectations? It’s not about moving to a cabin in the woods, but about building a life, wherever you are, that is honest and true to your soul.
Actionable Tip: After reading, take 10 minutes to journal on this one question: "What is truly essential in my life right now?" Don't overthink it; just write.
2. "The Art of Doing Nothing" by Leo Babauta
From the creator of the popular blog Zen Habits comes a modern antidote to our productivity-obsessed culture. Babauta makes a compelling case for the radical act of simply stopping. He explains that our constant need to be busy is a form of resistance to being present with ourselves. Doing nothing, he argues, isn't laziness; it’s a necessary practice for clarity, creativity, and peace.
This essay is a permission slip to let go of the guilt associated with rest. It teaches that idleness is not an empty space to be filled but a rich ground for rejuvenation. It’s perfect for those winter afternoons when you feel you should be doing something, but your body and mind are calling for a pause.
Actionable Tip: Schedule 15 minutes of "unproductive" time into your calendar today. Put your phone away, sit in a chair, and just look out the window. Notice the urge to "do" something, and gently let it pass.
3. "The Packing Party" by The Minimalists
Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus are titans of the modern minimalist movement, and this essay tells the origin story of one of their most famous thought experiments. Faced with a life of discontent despite material success, Joshua decided to pack all of his belongings as if he were moving. For the next 21 days, he would only unpack the items he actually needed.
The story is a brilliant, tangible illustration of how little we truly require to live a full and happy life. It reframes decluttering from a tedious chore into an exciting journey of rediscovery. It challenges you to look at every object in your home and ask, "Does this truly add value to my life?" This piece is less philosophical and more of a practical, inspiring kick-start for anyone feeling buried by their stuff.
Actionable Tip: You don't have to pack up your whole house. Start with one drawer or a single closet. Box everything up and for the next week, only take out what you need. See what's left at the end.
4. "The Case for Digital Minimalism" by Cal Newport
In this powerful essay (a precursor to his book), Cal Newport diagnoses the fragmented, anxiety-ridden state of our digitally-saturated lives. He argues that we have unknowingly ceded control of our time and attention to a handful of tech companies. Digital minimalism is the solution: a deliberate and aggressive approach to curating our digital lives to serve our real-world values, not the other way around.
This is a must-read for anyone who feels tethered to their phone. It’s not about abandoning technology but about reclaiming your autonomy. It’s about using tools with intention rather than being used by them. As we spend more time indoors during winter, managing our screen time becomes even more crucial for our mental well-being.
Actionable Tip: Turn off all notifications on your phone except for calls and texts from actual people. Experience the peace that comes from not being constantly pinged and prodded.
5. "The Story of Project 333" by Courtney Carver
What if you only wore 33 items of clothing for 3 months? That’s the challenge Courtney Carver of Be More with Less created with Project 333. This essay details her journey of creating a capsule wardrobe and the surprising freedom she found in having fewer choices. It’s about more than just clothes; it’s about reducing decision fatigue and realizing that you already have enough.
Carver’s approach is gentle and encouraging, making minimalism feel accessible to everyone. She shows how a simple experiment in one area of life—your closet—can have a ripple effect, leading to more time, money, and mental space. It's a perfect winter project, helping you clear out your closet in time for a fresh start in the spring.
Actionable Tip: Identify your 10 favorite, most-worn clothing items. For one week, try to build all your outfits using only those pieces and see how you feel.
6. "The Joy of Missing Out (JOMO)" by Anonymous
While not a single attributed essay, the concept of JOMO has been explored by many great writers. It’s the quiet, contented counterpart to the anxiety-fueled "Fear of Missing Out" (FOMO). This philosophy is about finding joy in saying "no." It's the pleasure of a quiet night in, the relief of an empty calendar square, the peace of logging off social media and being fully present in your own life.
Reading about JOMO is an affirmation that you don't have to attend every party, chase every trend, or keep up with everyone online. It’s about choosing quality over quantity in your experiences. This winter, embrace the joy of a canceled plan. Embrace the comfort of your own home and the pleasure of your own company. It's a core tenet of the slow-living principles we often discuss here on the Goh Ling Yong blog.
Actionable Tip: The next time you're invited to something you feel lukewarm about, politely decline without offering a complicated excuse. Use that reclaimed time to do something truly restful.
7. "The Art of Stillness" by Pico Iyer
In this eloquent essay, travel writer Pico Iyer makes a surprising argument: one of the greatest adventures we can take is to go nowhere at all. He describes the growing movement of people who are intentionally stepping away from the constant motion of their lives to find clarity and richness in stillness. He explores how sitting still can be more enriching than traveling to the other side of the world.
Iyer’s writing is a beautiful reminder that our inner world is as vast and explorable as the outer one. It’s an invitation to find your "still point" amidst the chaos. For anyone who feels burnt out from the constant hustle, this essay is like a deep, calming breath.
Actionable Tip: Find a comfortable spot in your home. Set a timer for three minutes. Close your eyes and simply focus on the sensation of your breath. That's it. You're practicing the art of stillness.
8. "How to Do Nothing" by Jenny Odell
Don't be fooled by the title; this essay is a deep, radical call to action. Odell argues that in our "attention economy," the most powerful form of resistance is to reclaim our focus. "Doing nothing," in her view, means refusing to have our attention monetized and instead redirecting it towards the local, the natural, and the communal.
This is a more academic and profound read, perfect for a long winter’s night. It connects minimalism not just to personal well-being but to ecological and social awareness. It challenges you to look up from your screen and truly see the world around you—the birds in your backyard, the architecture of your neighborhood, the face of a friend.
Actionable Tip: Go for a "noticing walk." Walk a familiar route, but with the sole intention of noticing five things you've never paid attention to before.
9. "The Beauty of an Empty Calendar" by a Fictional Slow-Living Advocate
Imagine an essay that champions white space—not just on a page, but in your weekly planner. This piece would explore our cultural obsession with being "booked and busy" and how it robs us of spontaneity and serendipity. An empty calendar isn't a sign of a boring life; it's a sign of a life with room to breathe, to be creative, to respond to the moment.
The author would argue that the most magical moments in life are often unplanned—the unexpected coffee with a friend, the afternoon spent lost in a book, the spontaneous walk in the first snow. By overscheduling ourselves, we eliminate the possibility for this magic to occur. This essay would be a tribute to the unstructured time that allows life to happen.
Actionable Tip: Look at the week ahead and block out one evening as "unplannable." Protect that time fiercely. When it arrives, do whatever you feel like doing in that moment.
10. "On the Shortness of Life" by Seneca
This 2,000-year-old essay from the Stoic philosopher Seneca is shockingly modern. His central argument is that life isn't short; we just waste a huge portion of it. We give our time away carelessly to meaningless tasks, trivial worries, and other people's demands, only to realize too late that time is our most precious, non-renewable resource.
Seneca’s words are a stark and powerful wake-up call. He urges us to be ruthless in protecting our time for what truly matters: learning, meaningful relationships, and self-reflection. Reading this is like getting a life-coaching session from one of history's wisest minds. It forces you to confront how you are spending the minutes of your one, precious life.
Actionable Tip: For one day, track your time. Be honest about where the minutes and hours go. The results might surprise you and inspire a change.
11. "The Single-Tasking Manifesto" by a Modern Productivity Guru
This conceptual essay would be a direct assault on the myth of multitasking. It would lay out the neurological and psychological evidence that multitasking is a lie. It doesn't make us more efficient; it just makes us more distracted, stressed, and prone to error. The manifesto would champion the deep focus and satisfaction that come from doing one thing at a time.
The author would provide practical strategies for creating a single-tasking environment. This includes batching similar tasks, turning off distractions, and fully immersing yourself in the activity at hand, whether it's writing a report or washing the dishes. As someone who, like Goh Ling Yong, believes in the power of deep focus, this essay resonates deeply with the principles of creating meaningful work and a meaningful life.
Actionable Tip: Pick one important task for the day. Set a timer for 25 minutes (the Pomodoro Technique), turn off your phone and email, and work on only that task until the timer rings.
12. "Curating Your Digital Space" by a Tech Ethicist
This essay would extend the principles of physical minimalism to our digital environments. It would argue that a cluttered desktop, a chaotic inbox, and a noisy social media feed are just as draining as a cluttered room. Our digital spaces are where we spend hours each day, and they deserve the same intentional curation as our homes.
The piece would offer a step-by-step guide to decluttering your digital life. This includes unsubscribing from newsletters, unfollowing accounts that don't bring you joy or value, organizing files into a simple system, and creating a "zen" home screen on your phone. The goal is to transform your devices from sources of stress into tools for creation and connection.
Actionable Tip: Spend 20 minutes "unfollowing" and "unsubscribing." Go through your social media feeds and email inbox and ruthlessly prune anything that doesn't serve you.
13. "The Simple Pleasures of Analog" by a Nostalgic Writer
In a world of streaming and scrolling, this essay would be a love letter to all things analog. It would celebrate the tactile joy of holding a physical book, the deliberate process of writing a letter by hand, the rich sound of a vinyl record, or the focused fun of a board game. It would argue that these analog experiences force us to slow down and engage our senses more fully.
This isn't about being a Luddite; it's about finding balance. It's about recognizing that efficiency and convenience aren't the only virtues. Sometimes, the slower, more tangible way of doing things is also the more rewarding one. This essay is a perfect inspiration to disconnect from the grid and reconnect with the physical world this winter.
Actionable Tip: Choose one digital activity you normally do and replace it with an analog version this week. Instead of scrolling Instagram, flip through a photo album. Instead of texting a friend, write them a short postcard.
14. "Enough" by an Unnamed Poet
This final, conceptual piece would be short, lyrical, and profound. It wouldn't be a how-to guide but a meditation on a single, powerful word: "enough." It would explore the quiet revolution of deciding you have enough, you are enough, and you have done enough for one day. It’s the ultimate antidote to the consumerist and self-improvement treadmill.
The essay would paint a picture of the peace that descends when you stop striving and start accepting. It’s the feeling of looking around your simple home and feeling gratitude, not lack. It’s the act of looking in the mirror and seeing a whole person, not a project to be fixed. It is the perfect, calming final word for a winter's day of reading.
Actionable Tip: At the end of today, before you go to sleep, write down three things from your day that were "enough." A simple meal. A warm conversation. A moment of quiet.
These essays are more than just words on a page; they are invitations. They are maps to a quieter, more intentional way of being. This winter, don't just rush through the season. Use this time as a gift—a chance to slow down, reflect, and rediscover the simple beauty of a life lived with purpose.
Which one of these essays resonates most with you? What are some of your favorite slow-living or minimalist reads? Share your thoughts and recommendations in the comments below. Let's build a reading list together.
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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