Could you use a 'Stop Doing' list?
By: Inez Ng
One of the tried and true organization and time-management tools is the
trusty old "to do" list. I was trained to diligently put one together
at the end of the day for the following day, and whatever tasks I failed
to
complete,
to carry it forward. This system has worked well in helping me
prioritize and focus. But I have also heard many of my colleagues
complain about having too much on their list, and feeling very
discouraged and overwhelmed by the sheer number of items on their "To
Do" list. To help ease the overwhelm, I want to introduce the concept
of the "Stop Doing" list.
I first read about the "Stop Doing" list in "Good to Great" by Jim
Collins. He stated that one of the commonalities of the companies who
were able to propel themselves from being just good to being great is
that they all looked at what they were currently doing that they needed
to Stop Doing. I am implementing this idea in a slightly different way,
but I think a "Stop Doing" list can actually help your productivity and
effectiveness.
So how do you decide what goes on your "Stop Doing" list? Here's what I suggest you do.
For the next week or two, each time you work on your "to do" list (and
if you are not using one currently, I strongly recommend you start), or
blocking off time for specific
tasks
in you planner, ask yourself this question: "does this task add value
or generate positive results for me and my organization?" If the answer
is no, it should go right on top of your "Stop Doing" list.
If the answer is "yes", ask yourself a second question: "am I the best
person to do this task?" The first question tells you whether you can
eliminate a task. This question tells you whether you can delegate a
task. I know for solo-business people, you automatically think that you
have no one to delegate any tasks to. But actually, that might not
necessarily be true. Today, there is a whole network of
virtual assistants
who can handle a myriad of administrative work for you. Some accept
work by the hour, and some accept work by the project. If you are
interested in this resource, check out www.assistu.com
For some people, you may have to then overcome your resistance to
delegating. I've heard many of the reasons. Do these sound familiar?
- "By the time I explain it to someone else, I could have done it myself."
- "I can't trust somebody else to do it right."
- "It costs too much money."
Some of these are completely legitimate concerns. However, before you dismiss the idea, consider the following:
- Is the task repetitive so that the up-front time investment to train someone is actually worth it 3 months down the road?
- Are you the most qualified person to complete the task, or could
someone else do it in less time with less effort for better results?
- If you didn't have to do the task, what would you choose to spend
that time on, and what impact will that have on your business, or your
life?
So, after considering these tough questions, add your delegated task to
your "Stop Doing" list as well and send them elsewhere, and I guarantee
you will feel better.
Even though I wrote this article for people struggling with overload at
work, the same approach can be applied to create a "Stop Doing" list for
home. Think of the possibilities - you can delegate laundry, and
cooking, and yard work, and cleaning, and what else?
Seriously, the current state of our lives is that there is generally too
much to do and not enough time. So, go through this exercise at least
once and see what you can shed from your "to do" list. If you like the
results, then establish a routine and do this every 6 months or a year.
The point is that you want to spend your time on high impact tasks, and
work that you enjoy.
Author Bio
Are your business results suffering due to an ineffective leadership
team? Find out what coaching with Inez Ng can do for your leadership
team at
www.Realizationsunltd.com Want to know about saving time handling emails? Check out her ebook at http://easyemailstrategies.com.
