How to Be Less Useful: The Joy of Inefficiency

What if living a happier life meant doing less, not accomplishing more? In How to Be Less Useful: The Joy of Inefficiency, Priyanka Mattoo challenges the modern obsession with productivity, perfection, and constant optimization through an entertaining combination of personal experiences, humor, and thoughtful observations. Drawing on her experiences in midlife, Mattoo explores how everyday pleasures gradually disappear beneath professional responsibilities, family obligations, and the pressure to make every moment productive. Activities that once brought happiness, from taking naps and enjoying desserts to dancing, traveling, and spending unplanned time with friends, can begin to feel unnecessary when life becomes dominated by schedules and expectations. Through candid storytelling and self-deprecating humor, the author examines the relationship between usefulness and personal fulfillment. She considers why people take on unnecessary responsibilities, struggle to accept assistance, and frequently postpone activities that bring genuine enjoyment. Her reflections encourage readers to reconsider their priorities and recognize that not every worthwhile experience needs a practical purpose. Rather than presenting a strict self-improvement formula, Mattoo offers an approachable perspective on creating more room for pleasure, connection, spontaneity, and rest. Her observations touch on relationships, parenting, personal identity, and the everyday choices that influence emotional well-being. This book is particularly suitable for readers experiencing burnout, people navigating midlife transitions, busy professionals, parents, and anyone interested in memoirs, personal growth, and contemporary reflections on happiness. With its combination of wit and meaningful insight, How to Be Less Useful invites readers to reconsider what a fulfilling life looks like and rediscover the value of doing things simply because they enjoy them.