Quality vs. Quantity – TPW413

This week we’re talking about evaluating the relative importance of quality versus quantity in various areas of our productive lives.

Which is better: quality or quantity? It depends on what our priorities are.

Centuries ago, Seneca the Younger advised that “The wise man will always reflect concerning the quality, not the quantity, of life.” 

According to one dictionary, "quality" means the degree of excellence of something. Quality is subjective, though. As we talk about this today, think about what quality means to you. 

Why does it matter?

In her “less but luxe” blog, a woman named Christine shares 7 reasons we should choose quality over quantity: 

* “Investing in quality saves you money. [My thoughts on this: you spend more upfront, but quality items generally are more durable and last longer; sometimes buying cheaper items is a false economy, because you end up replacing them more often] 

* Choosing quality saves you time (and energy!). [My thoughts: because they last longer and hold up better, you spend less time searching for and buying replacements, less time fixing what’s fallen apart] 

* Preferring quality over quantity supports sustainability. [As she puts it in the article, “When you love your quality items and take good care of them, they’ll last longer. Thus, they’re less of a burden for our environment compared to the usual throw-away stuff.”] 

* A quality over quantity approach reduces stress and overwhelm. [My thoughts: You end up with less stuff to take care of, less time spent on repair and maintenance, and less frustration form things not working the way they’re supposed to. She notes “An abundance of things, tasks, obligations, and choices tends to overwhelm us. We simply can’t have, handle, and be everything.”] 

* Quality brings more satisfaction and happiness. [The example she offers is food--the difference, for example, between binging on a lot of mediocre chocolate, versus savoring one piece of really high-quality chocolate.] 

* Quality makes you care more. [My thoughts: Whether possessions, relationships, activities, or anything else in our life, we care more about those high-quality options we’ve chosen intentionally than the multitude of mindless options.] 

* Choosing quality is an act of self-love.” [As she puts it, “By not wasting time and energy on low-quality stuff, we can direct these precious resources to what actually matters to us. Inviting quality in your life is telling yourself daily that you’re worth it.”]

Areas of our life where we should consider a quality-over-quantity approach:

Relationships

Consider the difference in value added to our life between a multitude of superficial relationships--business or personal-- versus a small group of mindfully curated ones with people who mean something to you (and to whom you mean something!). One writer asked a thought-provoking question:

“Would you rather be in a relationship with someone who is constantly accessible but doesn’t really care about you or with someone who makes an effort to get to know you and is there for you whenever you need them?” [from Best Quality and Quantity Quotes 2022]

Friends - In a world where people amass hundreds of “friends” on social media, we feel more isolated and alone than ever. There are plenty of studies confirming this. It's far more rewarding and fulfilling to have a few “true” friends--those who know you and who you know; those to whom you can bare your soul in meaningful conversations; on whom you can rely for support, encouragement,