Want to be more productive? Write a not-to-do list

Ever feel like your to-do list is working against you?

You start with good intentions, with a list of small and quick-to-solve tasks to clear the way for those big, important projects. But instead of a productive day, you end up with 20 half-finished low-value tasks, some barely-there progress on larger projects, and that nagging feeling of not accomplishing anything. 

Enter the not-to-do list: it's not just about avoiding disliked tasks but eliminating those that waste your time and hinder productivity. A not-to-do list can reshape your routine, saving time, enabling smarter delegation, and allowing you to concentrate on what matters.

Plus, those smaller tasks? They’re perfect opportunities to empower junior team members, allowing them to grow while you reclaim your time. That's a win-win!

What should be on a not-to-do list? 

This list should include those weak spots that prevent you from achieving your true goals. You should say no to them instead of doing the work yourself.   

This list should include all daily tasks that distract and hinder productivity or have a low impact on it (meaningless business meetings, emails, coffee runs, reading news reports, small projects stopping you from focusing on bigger ones, etc.). 

The Eisenhower Matrix is a useful tool for prioritising tasks. Divide a canvas into four quadrants and categorise each item by placing it in the appropriate quadrant.

• Top-left: Important and urgent—do these first.
• Top-right: Important but not urgent—schedule them.
• Bottom-left: Not important but urgent—delegate these.
• Bottom-right: Neither important nor urgent—delete them.

Everything on the matrix's bottom line should be on your not-to-do list! 

Other items that might appear on your list 

You can also put bad habits you believe you should get rid of on your not-to-do list. You can always add a brief explanation of why they’re there, so you remind yourself of the importance of not doing those. This is going to be good for your mental health as well as your physical health.

Here are some ideas:

1. Do not eat in front of the TV – you are not allowing yourself to eat slowly and appreciate your meal. 
2. Do not take your phone to the gym to answer emails – disconnect to fully concentrate on exercising.
3. Do not bring electronics into the bedroom – they are distracting as you try to sleep.
4. Do not get less than 8 hours of sleep a night – you need it whether or not you think you do 
5. Do not spend excessive amounts of time on social media – it sucks you in and gives you a false sense of reality.
6. Do not watch/listen to mass media news all day – it is incredibly sad, and scary, and creates fear-mongering 
7. Do not try for perfection – aim for excellence. 
8. Avoid creating more than one good habit at a time; while positive change is enticing, trying too much at once can dilute your willpower.

Whatever 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. 

How to write a not-to-do list 

If you don’t already have a detailed agenda or calendar, take the next few weeks to document everything you do every day. 

1. Go somewhere quiet where you can think and work undisturbed for at least an hour. 
2. List all activities from the last month, including recurring tasks and any responsibilities outside your job description. Write down all the ones that are questionable to your current role. Go through your to-do list and do the same thing. 
3. Analyse the activities that are time wasters, those you feel angry at yourself for saying yes to, and define if they greatly impact your overall performance. Ask yourself, how much value are these providing? And remember: time is a limited resource. You should use it well. 
4. Identify all the low-level tasks you can delegate, appointments you should cancel, and meetings you shouldn’t attend. Be honest with yourself about what shouldn’t be on that list. 
5. Add those to your not-to-do list, noting actions and timelines to remove them from your to-do list.

Your list is complete. Now, how do you implement these changes?

Now comes the most challenging 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. 

Review your list each morning to remind yourself of what to say yes to and what to decline.

In his book “Essentialism: the Disciplined Pursuit of Less”, Greg McKeown says that knowing how to say no to what is not essential to you is as important as knowing what is essential. Saying no is a way to bring focus to those things you’re going to say yes to. 

Review your list regularly, at least every quarter. Add new items or remove them as situations change. To-do lists always keep growing; having this review will help you reduce them and keep them focused on goals and tasks that really matter. 

Use cases of not-to-do lists 

Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, uses his to focus on five 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.

Motivational speaker Tim Ferris looks at his not-to-do list from a business and personal perspective. His 9 “do-nots” help him avoid habits he constantly strives to eliminate. 

Jack Dorsey, founder of X and Square, focuses on creating healthy daily routines and improving lives. 

An item for your not-to-do list: don’t stay too long in a job that doesn’t make sense anymore 

Even if you’re not completely happy with your job, there are reasons to consider staying: financial security, a nurturing workplace, career advancement opportunities, excellent benefits, and more. However, if your current role lacks these aspects, it might be time to seek opportunities elsewhere.

When “finding a new job” becomes an item on your list of actual goals, Airswift can help you take the next step in your career. 

Visit our candidate portal to kickstart your job search today.