The List You’re Probably Not Making — But Should Be

I bet you have a to-do list. It might be in a notebook, an app, on sticky notes across your desk, or (me personal favorite) a piece of scrap paper.

Based on my list, I’d guess you have at least 3 of the following on your list at any one time:

• Send an email

• Call someone back

• Read something that was recommended to you

• Plan/schedule a meeting

• Random personal task

There’s usually a mix of big and small, personal and professional.

We ❤️ lists because they help us stay on track. And we all know that crossing things off just feels good.

Today I want to talk about a different kind of list that you’re probably not making…the Stop Doing List.

We all have times when our to-do list feels impossible…there’s just too much to do!

When that happens, most people try to figure out “How do I get more done?”

But maybe a better question is: “What shouldn’t I be doing in the first place?”

To figure that out, imagine that you hire a successful CEO to step in and run your life for a day. They don’t have your emotional attachments and they’re not stuck in your habits. When they look at your calendar, they would ask just one thing…

“Why are you spending your time on that?”

Then they start slashing. If it’s not adding value, moving the needle, or giving you energy - it’s gone! That’s the mindset behind the Stop Doing List.

You too can create your own Stop Doing List! Take 30 minutes this week to look back at the last four weeks of your calendar and ask yourself:

• What’s not moving my business or life forward?

• What drains my energy more than the return it delivers?

• What am I doing out of habit, not intentionality?

• What could be delegated, outsourced, or just plain eliminated?

You’re not looking for 20 things, just two or three big ones. I would guess you can free up hours of time and tons of mental space.

The power move here isn’t doing more…it’s doing less, better.

Go ahead and put making a Stop Doing List on your calendar. It might be the most productive 30 minutes you spend this month.