Tip of the Week: Create a Not To Do List
June 12th, 2007 (5:44am) Anne Zelenka 17 Comments
What do you do with your to do list when you’re feeling stressed? Software developer and coworking inventor Brad Neuberg makes a Not To Do List:
Every so often I look back over the projects I’m doing and take stock. I have a little inner thermometer that I check in on from time to time, and if I’m feeling stressed out and not having fun anymore it gives me information and a clue that I need to revisit what I’ve been doing. When I feel this, I create a Not To Do List and figure out stuff that I need to let go of. Lately, I’ve been feeling stressed out and not having as much fun, feeling like there is a monkey on my back, so I’ve been doing things like morning pages, meditation, visual journaling, and other stuff to see what I need to change.
I’ve always liked David Allen’s concept of the Someday Maybe list for getting less important project ideas out of my head without forgetting them entirely. Sometimes, though, giving up on big projects entirely might be the healthiest way to move forward.
Is there something you need to strike off your to do list?
17 Comments Post your own comment
karenlim says: June 12th, 2007 6:30am
Hmmm, interesting concept. I am a strong believer of how to get things done and friends who know me knows that I create ways to push forward. But what you have proposed is a twist in thinking. Do you give up because the goal is too big? Is the goal not worth achieving, then why start it in the first place?
I think it might be ok if the goal was a hobby in nature but festering negative thoughts is just not my way. :)
Anne Zelenka says: June 12th, 2007 6:51am
I think that’s actually part of the point… not having festering thoughts, knowing when you need to eliminate some projects in order to make room for better ones. Brad mentions some of the projects he’s decided to let go of and they’re things that he worked really hard on and launched well. Now it’s time for other people to take over with those projects, while he moves on to other things.
For example, he launched the coworking movement but now it has its own momentum and he has other things to work on.
I don’t think anyone knows up front which goals will pan out and which won’t. This ties into the Seth Godin booklet (hardcover, but so short I hesitate to call it a book) The Dip about knowing when to ditch a project/goal because you’ve determined it’s not going to happen.
Om Malik says: June 12th, 2007 7:10am
Oh this is just clever. I wrote about this last week and so did Chris Michael – not confusing activity for progress. love this tip. clipped and added to my “best practices” list.
Serge Lescouarnec says: June 12th, 2007 9:01am
I was talking with a business guy from Ecuador last week at the Future of Online Advertising and his image was that our busy lives are like being on a fast train and looking at all the nice places passing by without enjoying it.
Sometimes we just want to do too much and suffer from indigestion.
To paraphrase a 1996 book, ‘Don’t just do something, sit there’
Serge
‘The French Guy from New Jersey’
http://www.sergetheconcierge.com
jetteroheller says: June 12th, 2007 9:09am
Straightforward as far as I’m concerned. The booklet from the Scientology Handbook called Tools for the Workplace has a number of things that I find work fantastic for (a) relieving stress from stressful jobs, and (b) relieving exhaustion from majorly stressful or repetitive work.
It’s stuff that could seriously put Red Bull out of business. :)
Rick says: June 12th, 2007 1:14pm
Wow – definitely giving me something to think about. For the last few years I do pause on occasion and declare certain work items I will put little to no effort in, but never thought to actually write them down or extend the list to non-work items. Anything that helps direct and remind me of my [warning: corporate-speak coming] optimal place on the value chain is goodness.
Ben Simo says: June 12th, 2007 3:15pm
Brad Neuberg said:
if I’m feeling stressed out and not having fun anymore it gives me information and a clue that I need to revisit what I’ve been doing.
KARENLIM said:
Do you give up because the goal is too big?
I first heard of the “Not To Do List Idea” from Esther Derby a couple years ago. My thoughts about such lists are shaped by Esther’s use of them.
I don’t see a “Not To Do List” as giving up. Not To Do Lists can be made without first trying the things that are put on the list. These lists allow people and teams to set boundaries on their role in a project. Sometimes we are unable to perform our core functions on the job because we take on too much extra stuff. Not To Do Lists can help prevent us from taking on extra stuff that interferes with our core responsibilities. I believe that any “Not To Do List” should be accompanied by a “To Do” list.
Ben Simo
Quality Frog Blog
Il Liceo » Blog Archive » Stress Reduction: Whittle down your to do list with a not to do list says: June 12th, 2007 5:27pm
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anuj says: June 27th, 2007 10:25am
we dont work alone…always as a team, family, group….then why should our to do lists or not to do lists be individual.
http://www.taskbin.com a group to do list…
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