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My 'Won't Do' List
02/ 24/ 2003

by Terri Lonier

My husband and I have recently been shopping for new household appliances, and the Energy Saver Guidelines printed on all the price tags got me thinking about how small business owners manage their own physical and mental energy.

The guidelines and accompanying chart explain that you can buy a less expensive washer or dryer, for example, but you'll end up spending more in energy costs. (And that's not factoring in the guilt of environmental damage.) The economics are intended to nudge you to be more energy-conscious.

Similarly, the long-term economics of your small business should influence how you parcel out your own energy supplies. At the beginning of last year, I adopted a matching component to my "To-Do" list--it's my "Won't Do" list. I consider it an umbrella classification for things I've decided I won't do any longer, won't tolerate any more, or have just outgrown. It helps me clarify boundaries and has reinforced my understanding that my energy as an entrepreneur is a limited and valuable resource.

As projects get added to my "To Do" list, my "Won't Do" list also continues to grow. What's been on this list? Two credit cards I rarely used--cancelled. Subscriptions to magazines that kept ending up piled on the floor--gone. Office furnishings no longer needed--donated. Books that were outdated--recycled. Organizations that no longer meshed with my interests or goals--resigned. And that extra 10 pounds I picked up last year--well, half gone (so far).

The streamlining has been energizing, and it's given my business a sharper focus. Nowadays, before anything gets added to my "To Do" list, I contemplate what might balance it by being added to my "Won't Do" list.

If you haven't created a "Won't Do" list yet, I encourage you to do so as you begin this New Year. (Hmmm--I guess that means putting "Make a 'Won't Do' List" on your "To Do" list, right?) Once you start creating your list and applying its lessons, I think you'll find it a valuable tool for managing your small business.

Terri Lonier is president of Working Solo Inc. (www.workingsolo.com) and a consultant to high-tech firms targeting the small business market. A seasoned entrepreneur, she also runs a mentoring program for both novice and experienced solo professionals.

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This article originally appeared in the February/March 2003 issue of MyBusiness magazine.

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