December 15, 2021
To-do lists can be a big distraction. You find yourself doing all the small tasks “in-between” everything else so that your day is clear to focus on those big projects. But that is never what ends up happening.
You end up with 20 half-done smaller tasks, with mostly finished large projects. None of these shows your best work and leave you feeling unaccomplished.
A not-to-do list isn’t just about getting rid of the tasks you don’t want to do, but getting rid of the ones that prevent you from greater productivity. Once you have a not-to list it will save you time in your day-to-day.
You will know what tasks should instantly be delegated, allowing you to be more efficient while giving you back valuable time. In business, there are many people on a team who can help with your list, and those smaller tasks can be a great opportunity for more junior co-workers.
This list should be comprised of those weak spots where you should say no but instead do the work yourself.
All those tasks that distract and take away from your being productive or have a low impact on your productivity (emails, coffee runs, reading news reports, small project stopping you from focusing on bigger ones, etc.) should be on this list.
Tasks you can delegate or delete, are emotionally draining, or are out of your control should also be added. Bad habits you want to eliminate can go on there, too. Really, all that stuff that simply does not need to be done.
Whether you want to achieve, creating your not-to-do list will help you focus on what matters most to you. Knowing what not to do can be as powerful as knowing what to do.
If you don’t already have a detailed agenda/calendar of where you spend your time, take the next few weeks to document everything you do, every day.
This is really important to have before you get started.
Now is the hardest part - making these changes. Shove those tasks off your plate. Don’t allow them back on. This is not the time to justify your choices; this is the time to put your decisions into action.
Go over your list every morning as a reminder of what you can say yes to and what you should keep saying no to.
Review your list regularly, every quarter at least. Add new items or take them off as situations change. To-do lists always keep growing; having this review will help chop that list down and keep it focused to goals and task that really matter.
Other people use not-to-do lists in different ways. Warren Buffet uses his to focus on 5 goals, and delegates the smaller distracting ones to people who can help him accomplish them.
This is not laziness but rather laser focus. He achieves more by doing less. Warren explains his process quite eloquently here.
Tim Ferris, a regarded entrepreneur and motivational speaker, looks at his not-to-do list from a business and personal perspective. His 9 “do-nots” help him avoid those habits he is constantly striving to eliminate.
Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and founder of Square, focuses his on healthy patterns and living a better life.
You already have a to-do list, now it’s time to create a NOT-to-do list. Simply because what you don’t do determines what you can do. Less is more.
This post was written by: JC Cornell, Renewables and Growth Marketing Manager
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