All along, we've been hearing all those 'TO DO List'! Has anyone heard for a "TO-DON'T List" yet??? eShockingly, I can wildly guess that a good majority of us [and I was once guilty of it in the past] DON'T have that "TO-DON'T List" AT ALL! Instead of us focusing on all the tasks we have to get done, ISN'T it equally beneficial [at the very least] if we look at everything else either we DON'T need OR even should NOT do in service of one's larger goal? YES, it sounds like a waste of time BUT seriously, it's NOT. Seeing clearly WHAT should NOT be taking in your attention is maybe one of the simplest ways to prioritize our time and focus on WHAT really matters most. WHICH obviously will likely lead us to enhanced productivity and output [YES, even in our domestic chores at home]. Before things become quite convoluted, let us simply WHAT is that "TO-DON'T List"
BAD-HABITS "TO-DON'T List" - This is all about goal-setting and is more of a plan you should adopt for your life overall if we want to improve it generally, NOT a technique to employ WHEN we have a specific goal in mind. And those habits that hold us back can be obvious to us OR we may NOT even realize it BUT once you write it down, that raises your awareness [and more will come], e.g. DON'T put off answering emails ON-TIME, DON'T sleep more OR less than WHAT you really need to, DON'T sacrifice your health at all cost, DON'T put off work UNTIL WHEN it's due!@#$?One key realization I have had is that once I started out scribbliing my "TO-DON'T List", I discovered many more troubling areas I was facing [to my frustration]
And YES, as we tend to be struggling to identify the broad, bad habits that might be holding us back, we need data and that explains WHY writing down those ideas in your "TO-DON'T List" may NOT be enough. WHICH means, it will help if, at the end of each day, we jot down WHAT went well and WHAT DIDN'T go well, and HOW do you want to retool your efforts going forward. WHEN I started this off before, my goal was as simple as journalling but I ended expanding my very purpose that went way beyond just data collection BUT I ended up with a more comprehensive "TO-DON'T List" until I got this practice embedded within me Now, for the more interesting 'OTHER HALF' of our "TO-DON'T List". A lot of productivity methods at the workplace focus on WHAT you, specifically, need to contribute BUT some of the best ones also leave space for you to delegate tasks to others. Multiple times I was guilty of this acts of commission in the past. I remember I'll assign a task to my teammate only to end up doing it, more often because the better side of me prevails as I want to get things done faster and more efficiently. Down the road, I realize that was NOT the best way to go Our takeaway: This "TO-DON'T List" should be a no-brainer. Any Tom, Dick and Harry can scribble this out pronto. Just to share the most obvious ones:
- DON'T schedule everyone's work for them!
- DON'T pick up other people's responsibilities!
- DON'T follow-up with an uncooperative person!
- DON'T decide UNLESS you thoroughly assesed it
- DON'T waste time on emails unlikely to get response
Dude, would you start with your "TO-DON'T LIst" now?
