Less is Liberation

Finding freedom from a life of overwhelm with Christine Platt

I have a treat for you today! I’m chatting with my friend Christine Platt about protecting your own capacity, her genius approach to time management, and her new book Less Is Liberation: Finding Freedom From a Life of Overwhelm,

Christine is a multi-hyphenate, multi-genre author whose work centers the journey of personal liberation—inviting readers to examine, release, and reimagine the narratives that shape their lives. A believer in the power of storytelling as a tool for social change, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies, Master of Arts in African and African-American Studies, and a Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law.

Christine’s philosophy around minimalism aligns closely with my own. We share the belief that a minimalist lifestyle should not be dictated by rigid rules, restrictions, or one particular aesthetic. Christine is living proof that minimalism can be tailored to your unique set of values, history, and style preferences. I am so inspired by her work, life, and career, and cannot wait for you to meet her.

Christine Platt photographed by Dayo Kosoko

Q. How does your definition of minimalism differ from what’s reflected in mainstream minimalism?

My perspective on minimalism has evolved so much over the years. What I’ve come to realize is that minimalism isn’t about an aesthetic—it’s about liberation. It’s about living with intention, aligning what we own and how we live with who we truly are.

For me, that means embracing the fullness of my history, my culture, my joy. I don’t want a life that feels sterile or stripped down; I want one that feels authentic, colorful, and connected.

So rather than trying to conform to a neutral, barren ideal, I embrace what I call Afrominimalism—a practice of living with only what you need, use, and love, but rooted in the richness of the African diaspora. It’s a reminder that minimalism isn’t one-size-fits-all. It can—and should—reflect our lived experiences and identities.

Q. Biggest benefits of living with less in your own life?

Lately, the greatest gift has been freedom. Living with less gives me the time, space, and energy to focus on what truly matters—my family, my creative work, my well-being, and my community. It has helped me release so much stress and anxiety that used to come from managing things I didn’t even need. Which used to often result in overconsumption and an overwhelming to-do list!

I often say that clutter—physical, mental, or emotional—hinders our ability to live fully. Letting go of the excess is what allows us to make space, to have time, to focus on our overall wellbeing.

My home and to-do list are easier to manage. How I spend my days feels more intentional, and I’m able to get adequate rest at night. I get to invest in projects and practices that align with my values as opposed to saying “yes” out of fear or pressure. I mean, the benefits are never ending!

Q. Where do you see mainstream minimalism falling short?

I think mainstream minimalism does a good job of showing one aesthetic of living with less that looks appealing. We tend to admire those beautiful, serene pictures but they “look” calming. But few people are able to, nor do they want to, live in barren and sterile environments. And the good news is: we don’t have to!

Shira, we both know many people who live with less. Which means we’ve seen many different approaches to minimalism in practice. And I think that is where mainstream minimalism falls short. The current aesthetic makes a lot of people think minimalism is an impossible lifestyle and standard because they cannot imagine living with one knife, one fork, or one spoon. Or, they want more colors and varying textiles. Mainstream minimalism has resulted in a number of unofficial rules about how many things you can own and what your space has to look like.

But the reality is, practicing minimalism can and should look different for everyone because our households, needs, and lifestyles are so different.

Q. I know you are very intentional with not just your space, but the hours in your day. How do you approach time management?

Many years ago, I decided to implement a very simple practice to manage my time and energy–treat it like currency. And not in the “Chop chop! Time is money!” approach to time management. But rather, assigning a dollar amount to every hour of the day. Because as a reformed people pleaser, I really used to struggle with overextending the best of myself to others. Here’s how it works:

• Assign each hour of the day a dollar amount. I started with $1000/hour to make the math simple.

• Instead of saying, “How am I going to spend my day?” Ask yourself, “How am I going to invest my $24,000 today?”

• Start with subtracting what you have to do. For example, $1000 to commute to work. $8000 in the office. The amount you have left is the actual amount of time you have to spend that day–and yes, it’s costly so be intentional about it.

Making this shift changed everything for me. Especially when I realized I was already $8,000 in the hole after factoring in a good night’s rest! (hahaha) Ultimately, it helped me realize that we often don’t have as much time each day as we think we do. Depending on our family and work obligations, we may realize very little free time to spend before our day even gets started.

Reframing time management this way helps keep me grounded in the truth that every moment is valuable. It reminds me to invest in what sustains me — not in what drains me. Time isn’t something we can stockpile or save — it’s something we spend. And it’s important that we spend it wisely.

Q. What was the inspiration behind your new book?

Less Is Liberation was born out of my own season of overwhelm. After tackling my physical clutter, I realized I still didn’t feel “free.” And that’s because I was dealing with emotional, mental, social, and spiritual clutter that, over the years, resulted in me having a lot of limiting beliefs about myself—that’s what kept me from living freely.

Less Is Liberation is my invitation for readers to pause to understand overwhelm’s interconnectedness to our overall wellbeing, and to start choosing less as a tool to prioritize and honor ourselves.

Q. A risk you took that paid off?

Honestly, writing Less Is Liberation in the way I truly wanted to was a huge risk. I leaned into my own frameworks, my lived experiences (the good, the bad, and the ugly), and trusted that readers would connect with my authentic hot mess journey to finding freedom from overwhelm. And they have! That risk affirmed what I already believed: liberation always begins with living and speaking our truths.

Q. How do you fuel your creativity?

By protecting my capacity. I pay attention to my “Personal Wells”— physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual — and make sure I fill them regularly. It’s based on a widely used medical diagnostic framework called ‘The Five Foundations of Wellness.’ Considering these core areas of our health as “wells” allows me to self-assess when I’m full and fueled and ready to create. And if I’m drained, I’ve learned that creativity isn’t something I can force. For me, creativity shows up best when I am at my optimal self for it to flourish.

Q. How do you recharge when it’s all too much?

I allow myself to be still and move slowly (disclaimer: this is much easier to do now that I’m an empty nester!). The one book that really helped me understand the power in embracing these concepts is a book called, In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honoree. I reread it every year. It’s a great reminder to pause and realign with myself.

Q. One self care tip you follow religiously?

I try as best I can to protect my mornings. I don’t wake up and immediately dive into emails or social media. I start the day slowly, with rituals that ground me — making coffee or tea, lighting incense, sitting at my ancestral altar, or just quiet reflection. It really sets the tone for my entire day.

Q. Anything fun coming up that we should know about?

Yes! Alongside the release of Less Is Liberation, I’m having a non-traditional book tour, one that focuses on prioritizing our overall wellbeing at such an overwhelming time for so many. So, instead of regular author talks, I am hosting Community Conversations which anyone can attend for free (yes, bring the kids!). October’s Community Conversations are now live so, be sure to check out the book tour to see when I’ll be in your city. And feel free to join daily IG conversations at @iamchristineplatt!

Thank you Christine, and happy publication day! Just got my copy of Less is Liberation and cannot wait to curl up and dig in! x

Local Event 10/12: I’ll be selling a handful of things from my closet at Bank Street Flea - A curated neighborhood flea featuring pre-loved closets & homewares from Bay Area designers, stylists, creators & more. Come say hi!

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