The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential ... in Business and in Life" by Leo Babauta. Hyperion, 2009

If you feel overworked, overstressed, overweight, overtired, out of shape and out of control, you have plenty of company.

How can you motivate yourself to make the changes you need to make when even thinking about change is too exhausting to contemplate? The answer can be found in "The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential ... in Business and in Life" by Leo Babauta.

"The Power of Less" is not just one more addition to the mountain of quick-fix, self-help titles now on the market. Instead, this intelligent guidebook has the potential to change your life permanently. What sets this book apart from other self-help offerings is the author's understanding of the factors and excuses -- gained from his own personal experiences -- that hold us back from taking the first steps toward a better life.

The subtitle, "The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential ... In Business and in Life," emphasizes Mr. Babauta's belief that setting limits is a key component of achieving happiness. Many of us live without limits, and as a result, we have problems managing our time, our finances, our food intake and all the stuff we've accumulated that we no longer need.

He encourages readers to consider life in terms of having a spending limit. If you have a fixed amount of cash to spend at the grocery store, you must choose carefully because you won't have enough to buy everything. If we view time as currency, we're forced to simplify our lives, and Mr. Babauta explains how to determine your top priorities.

Think about what's most important to you: Are you worried about your weight? Are you always tired because you don't get enough rest? Do you check your e-mail every five minutes and waste too much time on the Internet?

Don't make the common mistake of expecting dramatic results from your initial efforts, only to become discouraged and quit when you fail to achieve your goals within your self-imposed time frame. You'll be wise to consider this advice: The chance of successfully creating a permanent habit increases significantly when changes are made in consistent baby steps, focused on one area at a time. You'll see that "you can do less, not more, but achieve more because of the choices you make."

Learn how to single-task instead of multitask and how to say "no" when asked to take on additional commitments.

Imagine having a life that allows you time to focus on the things you really want to do, puts you in control of your personal and financial affairs, and guides you toward achieving your most important goals. "The Power of Less" clearly explains how to make this happen, one step at a time.

Setting up a blog that tracks your progress will make you accountable to others and keep your motivation from flagging. Mr. Babauta strongly encourages readers to share their experiences with others trying to overcome similar challenges, which is how he started his daily blog, Zen Habits (http://zenhabits.net.)

Named one of the 25 best blogs in 2009 by Time Magazine, it excels at offering specific strategies to improve and simplify your everyday life. Recent posts included "Stop Reading About It and Do It", "6 Small Things You Can Do When You Lack Discipline" and "55 Ways to Get More Energy." As a subscriber (it's free) you'll receive daily messages like these that will inspire you to keep moving forward.

Be honest: You have always known that life can be better. Now that you have the blueprint for making good things happen, it's time to act. After you read this book and sign up for Zen Habits, you'll be prepared to conquer the obstacles that have been holding you back.