The To-do List is good, the Done List is very good, but the Do-Not-Do List is much better

You already have a to-do list (To-Do List), a Done List, but you certainly don't have a Do-Not-Do List.

To-Do List is a book that records what to do that many people have. However, To-Do List also has a huge minus point that it creates a mental burden: No matter how hard you work, there's always a lot of work waiting for you to handle . Therefore, many people feel stressed about what they create, initially hoping that making a job list will help them manage time and organize their work more effectively.

What about Done List - a book that records completed things in a day, a week, a month - is also known as a successful book name? It is very useful when you can review your learning, work, what you have done, not yet, what needs to be modified and also a motivation for you to keep trying. In addition, Done List also helps us increase our work efficiency and believe in our ability more.

However, there will be people wondering "I can do something meaningful every day, so what should I write to Done List? Sometimes small things are not enough for me to worry less about things yet. My To-Do List is still very long. "

Right now, a solution for you is to combine To-Do List, Done List and a notebook, that's Do-Not-Do List - a list of things you don't do.

Why should I use Do-Not-Do List?

Be honest with yourself: How many jobs in To-Do List are simply that they are still in that position since you wrote in the book? Not that you don't do it, but the real reason is that you feel that doing it will not benefit you either, unnecessary, not important, not meaningful.

Check your email every 30 minutes, meet weekly with members of Team Marketing or read 3 articles per day related to your industry?

Reading, exercising, calling for loved ones, chit, surfing the web, social networking, chatting . What are the jobs that you do the most but are the least urgent, the least important ? Now, ignore them and put strength into other meaningful things.

See also: Effective time management with the Eisenhower Matrix method: Effort on important and non-urgent work

In a shared article on Medium , author Cody McLain emphasized that setting a conflicting priority on "mediocre" activities will prevent you from spending enough time on the most important things. and lack of commitment to complete them. Once you continue, you also lose the opportunity to pursue your hobbies, habits and passions - things that are tied to your true happiness.

Every time you say "yes" means your To-Do List is too long, or in other words "want to have enough time and resources to do something meaningful, you have to give up the opportunity to do it At least one thing doesn't make sense ".

Someone will argue: Thinking that an option is always decided by sacrificing another choice is definitely a negative way of thinking about life. However, author McLain emphasized that seeing things in a real way will help you make better and more feasible decisions.

"After all, saying no ultimately is a priority. For every time you say no, you give yourself the time to focus on the things that matter most to you."

See also: 8 reasons you should learn to say "NO" right now

This is the principle and basis for forming the Do-Not-Do List. You need to identify and set limits on tasks that take too much time, are unnecessary and are not important to the goals you need to achieve. Obviously, surfing Facebook, taking selfies, chattering, reading sensational news, gossiping about other people's lives . doesn't give you any benefit.

Now ask yourself: What will you write or transfer from the To-Do List to the Do-Not-Do List to reduce the burden on your to-do list and have more time to do things? Most important to your life?

Your work may be complicated but definitely break them down and at the end of each day, listing what you have done is not difficult. It's easier to learn "Say No" with things that don't make sense, distract you and waste time. If you are immersed in the feeling of not being able to do anything, start with simply writing down the things that have been done during the day / week that makes you happy, most proud and remove the unimportant elements .

When you do not have a clear view of what you have achieved in the past week, last year and do not know what priorities to prioritize, it is understandable that your future goals will also be ambiguous. . Conversely, once you know exactly what you can do, you can set specific goals and become easier to achieve.