Achieve more by doing nothing
THE NOT TO DO LIST
Open a random magazine and chances are there’s an ‘organize your life’ article in it. I love that, because while my life may have a polished shiny layer on the outside, the underlying layer is often horrifically chaotic.
Most organizing tips are fairly obvious (take notes, dare to throw things away, start a declutter), but Timothy Ferriss's theory is so refreshing that I want to share it with you. It's called the Not To Do list and it works like this.
Set big goals
Think about where you want to go and think big. For example, working from New York in five years, having an unlimited account at Net-A-Porter (Netta), a yearly salary of three million… If the endpoint is clear, it becomes much clearer much faster whether your daily activities lead to that.
Do as little as possible
With everything you do, you should ask yourself if it is meaningful. “If this were the only thing you could do today, would it have been a good day?” This prevents you from getting caught up in commas and sweating over things that won’t contribute to your larger goal.
Make a Not To Do list
Your To Do list should be as short as possible. Put on it the things that really need to be done and that will help you with the big goal you have in mind. Next to your short TD list, make a long Not To Do list where you put everything you are going to outsource or not do at all. Trust me; saying no can be incredibly satisfying.
Cancel
That’s the theory of a great entrepreneur named Ricardo Semler. He starts his day by thinking about what he can cancel or outsource that day. This creates unexpected space in his schedule and gives him more time for what really matters.
Don’t start your day with emails
You arrive at the office, grab a cup of coffee, and check your email, right? Don’t do it. This immediately lets others determine the rhythm and feel of your day. Just do the important tasks that are important to you. You can read your email later at a time you’ve reserved for it. Also, don’t check your email every time. Especially not on your iPhone. You don’t have the utmost concentration, often don’t have your agenda at hand, think you’ve replied but haven’t (because the traffic light suddenly turned green). Don’t do it. It’s not nice for others, but especially not for yourself.
Be unreachable
I always find myself particularly well-behaved when I immediately answer when someone calls and reply to emails right away. Turns out that’s not good at all because it pulls you out of your big thought pattern. If you feel guilty for not picking up the phone immediately, you could possibly mention that you check your voicemail every day at a fixed time and that people should better send you a text in case of emergency and blind panic.
I’m going to try it myself too. Are you joining?
