A mind like water

Allen argues that stress often comes not from having too much to do, but from keeping track of it all in your head. Every unfinished promise is an open loop that keeps nagging at you and steals attention from whatever you are doing.

His aim is a calm state he compares to still water, which responds to whatever is thrown into it and then settles again. You get there by moving every commitment out of your mind and into a system you trust. The method has five steps.