With their Just Do It slogan, Nike served to get folks to consider getting off the sofa and, at the very least, put on their sneakers and do something. Their message served to inspire some viewers to proactively pursue achievements they otherwise wouldn’t.

For most of us, accomplishing more begins with a To-Do list to support our daily activity triage. Nearly everyone uses a To-Do list. What almost no one has a Don’t Do It List. Should you?

If you examine your To Do List at the end of the day, the things that didn’t get done were likely put off at the expense of some non-agenda items.

Are you serious about becoming more effective and getting more done with less time and effort? Consider creating a Don’t Do It List to help you get more out of your To Do list. There is a catch to this simple suggestion. It’s not easy. Your Don’t Do It list should include some of your bad/unproductive habits. Behavioral scientists tell us that it’s not possible to simply stop an habitual behavior. We must replace previous behaviors with new ones. We exist mostly in cruise control/subconscious mode. So stopping requires some reprogramming.

Hints for Creating Your Don’t Do It List

• Determine what hindering habits should go on your list.
• Keep your list short with no more than two or three items. Changing a habit is a challenging, lengthy process. Attempting to change more than three is unrealistic for most of us.
• Evaluate and document the benefits you expect to enjoy as a result from the desired changes.
• Put it in writing. Commit your list of changes and their benefits to writing. Ideally your Don’t Do It List should be included with your To-Do List or kept in a place where you can review it regularly.
• Get an accountability partner. Find someone to you can share your challenge and have them help by holding you accountable.
• Continue to visualize the benefits you expect to gain.
• Maintain your resolve for as long as it takes. If you’re going give up in three weeks
• Celebrate your achievement as you succeed in making the change. Reward yourself. You deserve it. Thank those who helped you.

Simple?

Putting the word “just” before either “do it” or “don’t do it” implies simplicity. But remember, just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy. Stopping is typically more challenging than starting. Don’t take it lightly.

More Opportunities for Achieving More with Less

If a Don’t Do It list makes sense for you personally, what opportunities might exist if you applied this in your organization?