Four Things That Should Be On Your Not-To-Do List, As Per Jen Blanco and Yuliia Korienkova

To-do lists are a must for a lot of people, but what about a not-to-do list? Jen Blanco and Yuliia Korienkova believe these lists are as important as their more widely used counterparts. Let's be honest – we all make mistakes. It is essential to learn from those mistakes and ensure they do not happen again. Having a written reminder certainly doesn't hurt and can even be turned into company policy. Here are four useful items to keep on the not-to-do memo.

Checking E-mail Very Early or Very Late

Check your email when you are awake, alert, and in work mode". Give yourself time to get situated in the mornings before checking email so you don't miss anything and are focused. As for nighttime, if you are groggy and not fully alert, you could miss something. At either time, you may send an unclear or poorly worded message with detrimental consequences.

Overcommunication

It's easier said than done to keep things short and simple, especially for "talkers." Just remember, there are only so many hours in the day, and time is money. Don't over-communicate, but instead get to the point. If you need to excuse yourself from a verbose individual, there are subtle and professional ways of doing this.

Getting Overwhelmed

It can be easy to feel overwhelmed, especially if you are multi-tasking or have an intensive job. The key is to work smarter, not harder. You must prioritize every single task. This way, things will get done in order of importance, and you automatically create a schedule for task completion. Keep in mind, some aspects of your role are more important than others and require more attention.

Lack of Agenda

Never agree to a meeting or call without a clear agenda and start/end time. Remember, time is money. Once you have something planned, stick to it or do not solidify plans until there is a clearly defined beginning and end time so you can schedule the rest of your day around the call or meeting. This is also an opportunity to communicate effectively and utilize good time management skills.
Jen Blanco and Yuliia Korienkova have stuck to these don'ts for years and achieved great success. One reason why is because they seamlessly flow into the dos of the business. The important thing is separating the two and recognizing red flags in what seem to be even the most optimal moments.