Time has become a scarce commodity and therefore valuable. This applies to everyone, but perhaps even more so to creative freelancers. So much to do, your to-do list grows faster than you would like. But should you do all these things? And if so, should you do them now?
In the book Don't read this book (aff.) Donald Roos describes a time management method, which revolves around the to don't list . The essence of that method is: limit yourself to the core.
A to do is a small or larger task that contributes to something. Can you do all the to do's at once? No. So you cross out your to do's. Not that you're not going to do them, but you're not doing them now. hospital cfo email list You move them to your to don't list, until you have 3 tasks left. That's your to do list . And only when a to do is completed, there's room to promote a to don't to a to do.
Application to your own life
This selection process can be applied not only to your work but also to your life to find out what you really want to do. This can be done in 3 steps.
1. What do you like to do most?
Make a list of everything you like to do and then start crossing it off using the to don't method . Until you have 3 left. Draw 3 overlapping circles and discover the unique combinations of your favorite to do's. In my case, these are 'discovering new online media', 'transferring knowledge' and 'working with young people'.
To don't list
2. Discover your strengths
One way to give shape to this is to describe what the American businessman Warren Buffet calls the circle of competence . Write everything you are good and very good at in the circle and what you are not good or even bad at outside. Focus on what you are good and very good at. But also make use of your bad qualities, your dark side , but then applied cleverly. For example, I often get calls from energy companies that want to sell me all kinds of things and then I consciously let go of my blunt side. With a short conversation as a result.