Some Tasks Are Better Deleted Than Completed

Some days it seems that your todo list is endless.

You wonder if you will ever get to all of your work.

The simple truth is that you can’t do it all. It’s simply not possible.

The good news is that you shouldn’t try to do everything on your list. Many of the tasks you have added to your todo list should probably be left undone.

Some Tasks Shouldn’t Be Done

Just because you add a task to your list, doesn’t mean that it must be done.

In fact, many todos shouldn’t be done at all.

There is a balance here.

Capturing todos is a skill, and allows you to get tasks out-of-your-head. Thus, you can continue to concentrate on the job in front of you.

However, just because you captured that task, doesn’t mean that you actually should do it.

Many things that you add to your list now, may not need to be done later.

“Some tasks are better deleted than completed.”

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A good practice is to regularly scrub your todo list for items that can be removed, deleted, or simply crossed off.

Some examples of tasks that are better undone:

• Lesser Priorities – Low priority tasks are a big obstacle from getting your most important work done. Don’t let low priority tasks overwhelm your list. Get rid of them. You won’t even notice that many of them are gone.
• Taking You in the Wrong Direction – Some tasks that make it to your list, are probably just distractions in disguise. Ask yourself if each particular task is moving you toward your goals. If not, cross it off. Just because you might like a task, doesn’t mean you should do it.
• Not Worth Doing – These tasks are often so inconsequential that you wonder why you put them on your list in the first place. Maybe it was just to get it off-your-mind. Regardless, these aren’t even low priority tasks, they are “no priority.” Delete them before they waste your time.
• No Longer Important – That task might have been important when you first captured it. However, after a short time, the opportunity has passed or it has resolved itself. Remove these obsolete items from your list.

Delete Some Tasks

You should capture any and all todos to your list.

However, you should also regularly clean up your list by removing tasks that should not be bothered with.

Look at your list.

What tasks can you remove, right now?

Delete tasks that don’t need to be or shouldn’t be done, and free up time for what is most important to you.

Question: Do you have tasks on your list that are better deleted? You can leave a comment by clicking here.