On Wednesday, I talked about "Creating a Stop Doing List" out of an audio recording by Jim Collins (if you haven't read that post, just scroll down below this post to read it). Having read that, the natural question most people ask is, "How do I do that?" In other words, the idea that we need to stop doing a lot of what we're currently doing so that we can focus on those few things that matter most to us and our life, makes intuitive sense. But how to define what activities I need to reduce or alleviate from my life—well that's often a whole different story. So let me share with you a common practice i use to do that.
At least once a year (and frequently multiple times per year), I take out a sheet of paper and make a traffic light on the left hand side of the paper (you know, a long rectangular box with three circles inside it) about nine to ten inches long. Inside each circle I write the color that corresponds to that circle on a traffic light (i.e., red, yellow and green). Red represents those activities that take energy from me. Yellow represents those activities that I'm neutral towards (neither take or restore energy, they just are). And then green represents those activities that restore or replenish me.
So, after I write in the words, "Red, Yellow and Green", I then begin to write down all of the activities I'm currently engaged in and then fit them into the appropriate section. For example, as an INTJ, being around lots of people is a red light activity for me. Whereas times of solitude (like when I'm writing or reading) are green light activities (again, for me). Solving problems is green light, managing a process or program is red light. Creating something new is green light, reading resumes is red light. You get the idea.
Now, here's the benefit of doing this each year, because chances are, your "Stop Doing" list is probably found in your red light category. At that point, you may say, "This year, I'm going to stop doing x, y, and z and to do that, I'm going to need to delegate x to Joe and y to Ally and then on z I'm going to need to pray and ask God to bring someone into my life who can take over z." In this way, year by year, you'll reduce the amount of red light living you have to encounter (because we all still have to encounter some red light activities in our lives) and increase the amount of green light living you get to do—and that will be a good thing for you and all of those around you!
However, that said, I do have a few more thoughts about this. If you're ever feeling stressed or burned out, immediately do a traffic light analysis. Chances are 60-80% of your time is focused on red light activities (not a great way to live). Once you make your list, reduce the red light activities. Secondly, your traffic light analysis will probably flow out of your personality. So, the more you know about your personality type, the easier it will be for you to determine what to keep doing and what to stop doing. And finally, and this is the hardest thing of all to do, in order to focus on what you do best, you may have to stop doing some green light activities as well. In other words, as I mentioned the other day, you cannot become great by doing more and more of what you are good or excellent at. You attain your full God-given potential by focusing on what you do best—what you are exceptional or a genius at. So, have you made your "Stop Doing" list yet? If not, why don't you do a traffic light analysis today and use that to develop your "Stop Doing" list . . . NOW!
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