A Not-To-Do List Is as Important as a To-Do List
A Not-To-Do List isn’t a brand-new way to manage work.
You can organize your day, week, and month—and manage time efficiently—using a to-do list alone (see the previous piece: Why To Do Lists Are Still a Powerful Way to Manage Work). But to keep a strong to-do list, it’s just as important to be explicit about what you won’t do. That’s where the Not-To-Do List comes in.
A Not-To-Do List is a catalog of behaviors, habits, or activities you will consciously avoid. Even when we’re focused on what we should do, we often slip into habitual actions or postpone what matters most. In those moments, a Not-To-Do List acts as a guardrail. If a to-do list sets direction, a Not-To-Do List sets boundaries—cutting wasted time and inefficiency.
Not-To-do List의 장점
1. Benefits of a Not-To-Do List
- Higher productivity
Small interruptions have an outsized impact. If email or chat pings keep popping up during deep work, focus fractures. Adding an item like “Turn off email and messenger notifications while working” to your Not-To-Do List helps you stay in the zone when it counts.If you tend to wander the web during work hours, add “No unnecessary web browsing during work.” To enforce distraction-free time, try screen-time apps like Opal that block sites you click on mindlessly so you don’t drift away from important work.
2. Clearer prioritization
When everything feels important, nothing is. A Not-To-Do List naturally separates what matters from what doesn’t. For example, I don’t check chat or email during the first hour of the day. Instead, I use that time for high-priority work like product planning, direction-setting, or research. By filtering out what’s unnecessary up front, you free attention for what’s essential.
3. Psychological relief
Endless task streams can create pressure and burnout. Rules like “No message checking after 10 p.m.” remove the obligation to stay online late, lowering stress and enabling real recovery in off hours.
4. Better time management
Feeling short on time often stems from inefficient habits—keeping the inbox open all day or multitasking. Add specific rules such as “Check email once per day” or “No multitasking.” Reducing non-work activity prevents time leaks and improves throughput.
How to Create a Not-To-Do List
- Start with goals
As with a to-do list, clarify what you want to achieve. Then identify behaviors and habits that get in the way. - Identify key distractors
List what scatters your attention—phone notifications, unnecessary meetings, multitasking, frequent inbox checks—and note how each blocks your goals. - Spot unproductive patterns
Name concrete rules, e.g., “No social media in the morning,” “Keep email closed until the day’s main task is done.” - Keep it short
A Not-To-Do List doesn’t need to be long. Too many rules create friction. Capture a few pivotal behaviors and commit to them. - Review and update regularly
Roles and priorities change. Revisit the list, remove what no longer applies, and add new guardrails as needed.
Example Not-To-Do List
- Don’t check email or chat during the first hour of work.
- Don’t multitask.
- Don’t schedule morning meetings.
- Don’t attend meetings that aren’t necessary.
- Don’t drink coffee after 4 p.m.
- Don’t use the computer after 10 p.m.
A Not-To-Do List is highly personal. Tailor it to your goals and lifestyle to support a healthier, more productive rhythm.
Conclusion
If a to-do list is the engine of productivity, a Not-To-Do List is the protective shield around it. By defining what you will not do, you make goals easier to reach and reduce stress and wasted energy. Used together, your To-Do List and Not-To-Do List complement each other to strengthen self-management and deliver a deeper sense of progress.