How a To-Don’t List Skyrocketed My Focus

Boost your Productivity by reversing your routine!

We have always been told that we must have a to-do list in order to accomplish our daily tasks.

What if I told you that, this is not the most effective way to increase productivity?

Until recently, I was obsessed with making a to-do list of everything I needed to do throughout the day to accomplish my goals.

I had a habit of doing everything myself.

At the end of the day, I was exhausted and went to bed feeling like I had wasted the day doing nothing.

It didn’t produce the results I had wanted for years.

I was too stupid to understand that as a human being, it is almost impossible to be good at everything.

Most of us are not naturally wired to be the best at multiple things.

We only have a few productive hours (four, to be exact) where we can do our work with optimal energy.

Instead of focusing on what I was good at, I spent most of my time working on something I either was not good at or didn’t want to do.

Over time, I realized that many tasks on my To-Do list either needed to be crossed off or given to someone else.

Here are some lessons I have learned while using a “To-Don’t list” in my life, and how anyone who feels overwhelmed with the amount of work can benefit from it.

Tiny Things That Take Up More of Your Time

I thought of undoing everything I spent my time on.

I began to look at everything I didn’t need to do or not do.

At first, it sounded like a waste of time and not worth the effort.

But after a few weeks, I realized it was the best decision I ever made because I started to accomplish more with the same amount of time.

I experienced a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day and even began to look forward to what I would do the next day.

Now I am able to clearly recognize which things need my attention and which do not.

This allowed me to focus better and concentrate my time and energy on the things that really matter.

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, believes in making three good decisions a day.

You have to think two or three years ahead, and if you do that, why do I have to make a hundred decisions today? If I make three good decisions a day, that’s enough, and they should be as high quality as I can make them.

Warren Buffett says that if he makes three good decisions a year, he’s good, and I really believe that.

He has a great team that works on these decisions and puts them into practice.

Most of us might not have the same privilege as him, so for us, it might be two or three tasks that we are good at.

Once you get into this habit, it becomes your good friend who not only supports you with compliments but also gives you much-needed support and feedback when you really need it.

How Did I Create a To-Don’t List For Myself?

I started by listing all the activities I completed over the course of a day, week, or month.

Then I filtered out the activities that did not do me any good or took up more time.

For example, scrolling through social media, watching TV and news, posting on social media, editing content and images, SEO, proofreading content, and so on.

I have completely given up some things like social media scrolling, automated some like posting on social media, and outsourced some like SEO, proofreading, etc.

Social media is the biggest distraction, not just for me, but for many other people around the world.

I never tried Snapchat and uninstalled Facebook a long time ago.

TikTok is banned in our country.

I have uninstalled Instagram a few times, but their algorithm still gets me back and I have to reinstall it.

Even some of my close friends and family members are on Instagram, so I am forced to stay on this platform.

Some of these tasks were pretty obvious and others were sneakily added to my daily schedule.

I originally created this list in a Google Sheet.

To be even more focused, I decided to limit my “avoid me” tasks to a simple piece of lined paper.

Some of the directives in my final to-do list were as simple as the following:

• Research topics for articles or interact with readers and followers (~1 hour)
• Workout to stay fit (~2 hours)
• Writing the content (~2–4 hours)
• Day job (~8–10 hours)
• Offering a prayer to God (~1 hour)
• Spending time with the family (~1–2 hours)
• Read a book before bed (on my wish list)

I also make sure that I always take breaks to avoid sitting for long periods of time.

This reminds me of all the little things that take up most of my productive time.

In the early days, I struggled to maintain this lifestyle.

I found it difficult to switch back and forth between computer and paper.

It was very frustrating to stick to these new rules that I had imposed on myself.

It completely disrupted my life.

Over time, however, I realized that the consistency really paid off.

I was less fatigued physically and mentally, which enabled me to be active throughout the day.

I could clearly distinguish between the valuable tasks and those with a lack of value, for example, mindless scrolling on Instagram.

How Did I Regain My Energy And Focus?

Having a “no-no’” list physically in front of me has proven to be a great advantage.

It has helped me to recognize these seemingly productive but ultimately unhealthy habits, such as spending way too much time in mindless scrolling.

Now I respond more consciously to only the relevant activities.

I also realized how much switching back and forth between tasks was affecting my concentration.

Just looking at the list helped me to avoid afternoons filled with half-completed tasks.

So instead of just crossing things off, I give myself a little mental high-five for sticking to the list.

It’s like a mini celebration, you know?

And the best part?

No late afternoon defeat because of a pile of unfinished tasks.

This list breaks us out of the cycle of unproductive habits.

We often only do these things because they’re easy or habitual, not because they fulfill us.

And for someone like me, who works from home most of the time, the line between work and relaxation is blurred.

It’s the perfect way to avoid the endless social media and news trap.

In this information-overloaded world, we all need a bit of detachment, don’t we?

Wrapping It Ip

It was great for recognizing the not-so-great habits in my day.

I felt like it was a little lacking when it came to the big goals and priorities that really kept me on track.

It’s more of a friendly reminder when things get hectic and responsibilities pile up.

Don’t expect it to replace your to-do list, it’s not a weekly killjoy.

But it’s fantastic for setting and streamlining your daily priorities.

In short, once you have your lists ready, keep them handy and put them next to your computer or on your phone.

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