DON’T MISS
IamExpat FairIamExpat Job BoardIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Career
Dutch news & articles
Do you have a 'To Don't' list?
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy



Related Stories

Why killing your to-do list is the best thing you can do for your businessWhy killing your to-do list is the best thing you can do for your business
How to create meaningful impact with your businessHow to create meaningful impact with your business
9 outsourcing options you should not ignore9 outsourcing options you should not ignore
Pinterest for small business ownersPinterest for small business owners
Why you should make time to work on your businessWhy you should make time to work on your business
How reframing your business model can revolutionise your marketingHow reframing your business model can revolutionise your marketing
9 business myths and who you can really trust with your business9 business myths and who you can really trust with your business
5 moments when you need to persist in your business5 moments when you need to persist in your business
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemapRSS feeds
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat FairsWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Stephanie Ward
Stephanie Ward is a Business and Marketing Mentor (fireflycoaching.com) who helps passionate small business owners attract more clients and grow their businesses. She offers a free special report, 7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time at her website fireflycoaching.com. Stephanie Ward has been a marketing and business coach to a multitude of clients and knows how to go from a job you are note happy in to finding a career that you love. She left behind her years in the corporate world to pursue work she is passionate about: helping other business owners grow profitable businesses. Stephanie is an American citizen who has lived in the Netherlands since 1999. Before she began her coaching business, she worked in the corporate arena in business development, sales, marketing, management and consulting. She is a professionally trained coach who received her training at Coach Inc. She has an undergraduate degree in Business Management and a Masters degree.Read more

Do you have a 'To Don't' list?

Jun 28, 2012

As a business owner you may struggle with the question of how you will be able to get everything done. This is especially true for independent service professionals and "solopreneurs." There are only so many hours in the day, this isn’t going to change. So, something else has to.

And if you spend almost all of your time working in your business, you don’t have time for the rest of your life. Isn’t it true that some of the reasons you started your own business were so you would have more freedom and fun? If you are stressed out and not able to get the right things done, then your business isn’t serving you in the way you intended.

Focus on the main drivers

The answer is to only focus on the main drivers of your business. The kind of things that are the most important to the growth of your business. I know, I can hear you saying that your business is different and you have dozens of important things you must do. The truth is that not everything is equally important. It’s really a matter of choice and you are the one who can decide how you choose to spend your time.

In many cases, in your heart you may know what the most important things are, but somehow loads of other things seem to get in the way. This is where a "to don’t" list can come in handy. So instead of a long list of things to do, try turning it around and focusing on what you don’t want to do. This will help you stay focused on the right things by default.

Make a "to don't" list

To get started, make a list of all of the things you are going to stop doing, things that are not directly connected to the core of your business.

Here are some examples of things for a "to don’t" list:
› Don’t schedule meetings with everyone who asks me
› Don’t check e-mail every 10 minutes
› Don’t spend hours thinking about small things like the best font type
› Don’t get lost surfing the internet
› Don’t keep doing things manually that I can automate

Once you have your list ready, keep it in a place where you can see it. As you begin each day, think about what you want to accomplish and remind yourself of what you will NOT be doing.

As you take action throughout the day, be aware of your activities and check to see if something you are doing is on your "to don’t" list - if it is, stop doing it immediately! You can always add new things to your list as you become more aware of how you spend your time.

After awhile, you will automatically notice a "to don’t" and you will choose not to do it before you get lost in the activity and wonder where the last hour(s) went.

You can also use your "to don’t" list as a way to set stronger boundaries for yourself, and your business. Saying no to certain things makes the things you do choose to say ‘yes’ to, that much more clear and powerful.

It’s fun to make a list of all of the things you don’t have to do. So why not get started and see how many things you can identify that are not supporting the creation of a profitable business. You will be surprised at how much more you can get done in less time, still grow your business, and have a life.

By Stephanie Ward