Do you have a to-do list? Of course, you do, most of us have.
But what about a Not-To-Do-List? The Not-To-Do-List is equally as important as the normal to do list, especially for improving productivity.
The Not-To-Do-List is a list of tasks you may want to do or think you should do, but they don’t move your business forward, and have no real linkage to your larger objectives. You’re much better off not doing them or limiting them.
Time and energy are a limited resource, and once you accept that you have more to do than time to do it all, you’ll feel liberated.
It may sound counterintuitive--you're busy enough already--but set aside a little time, half an hour at least, for creating your not-to-do-list. The productivity you gain will be well worth it.
Examples
- Do not answer calls from unrecognised phone numbers (let them go to voicemail)
- Do not agree to meetings with no clear agenda or output
- Do not let negative people dominate my time