Between work, life, this blog and running, I have a lot of “to-do’s.” Sometimes, I get overwhelmed. I came across a great blog post from “The Four Hour Work Week’s” author Tim Ferriss. The article is The Not-To-Do List: 9 Habits to Stop Now. He also reads this essay as a quick audio podcast here.
He says, “‘Not-to-do’ lists are often more effective than to-do lists for upgrading performance. The reason is simple: what you don’t do determines what you can do.”
Ferriss says, “It’s hip to focus on getting things done, but it’s only possible once we remove the constant static and distraction. If you have trouble deciding what to do, just focus on not doing. Different means, same end.”
Check out the post or audio version for more detail on each of these don’t dos. If I am being fair to myself, I am good at a few of these – #1 especially. I never answer unknown calls. I am also good at #9. I am lucky to say my life is full and I balance work, life and blog fairly well. Now, I need to be more conscious of the items in the middle. I do some of these some of the time, but I can see how they are all really valuable. Ferriss is also realistic – he says try one or two at a time for a week. Remember, it takes a long time to build up these habits, so it takes time to break them, too!
I would add two more to the list: do not take it personally and do not get involved in company gossip or politics. At least nine times out of ten, if someone yells at you for something or is very critical, you are in the unlucky spot of being the recipient of frustration over something else in his/her life. Don’t take it personally, move on! Ferriss is an entrepreneur so he may not get bogged down in office gossip or politics. Even working from home and seeing colleagues infrequently, I get drawn in to some drama. I need to make a conscious effort to do my work and dodge the drama. It can be all-consuming.
Here are some more personal/behavior related “not to-do’s” from MindBodyGreen. These are easier said than done – but are certainly aspirational!
What other “not to-do’s” would you add to the list? Do you have any things that you don’t do that make you more productive in work or life?
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