Intentional 'Not Doing' is a Shortcut to 'Doing What You Want'
With 2026 goals set, many of you might be starting something new.
So today, I would like to write about how to think when your 'to-do' list grows.
Truth be told, I was also vaguely thinking this year about how to manage my time to:
・Do the things I want to do
・Go to the places I want to go
・Meet the people I want to meet
And that is when I came across this quote by Steve Jobs.
“The most important decision is not what to do, but what not to do.”
It woke me up in an instant!
This was no time to be thinking vaguely!
I had been thinking only about how to somehow squeeze out more time. I was thinking about where to cram in 'time to achieve my goals'.
But I realized that first, I should review my 'current daily life' and the aimless thoughts I have, and decide 'what not to do'!
For example, even when it comes to 'cutting time,' rather than reluctantly letting go as if you are 'giving up on something,' you can create time by deciding 'not to do' things like:
・Stopping the aimless scrolling through social media
・Not going to dinners you don't feel like attending
Deciding 'not to do' these things can create time.
Other examples include:
・Playing smartphone games or using social media while commuting
・Recording dramas you don't watch
・Lying on the sofa
・Sleeping in on your days off
・Letting laundry pile up, etc...
Deciding 'not to do' these things seems like a great way to generate time.
Furthermore, if you have 'too much housework,' you can increase your time by asking other family members for help or considering outsourcing to professionals.
Once you have decided what you will 'not do,' prioritize scheduling what you 'want to do'.
When I think about it carefully, I feel that if I wait for housework or work to be finished, I will never be able to secure the time to do the things I 'want to do'.
If that is the case, don't you think the shortcut is to decide 'not to do' things first and then schedule your 'wants'?
Deciding 'not to do' something with intention is actually a way of facing 'what you want to do'.
May your 2026 be a fulfilling year!
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The other day, Tayoroyoro Library DATABASE featured my article!!!
This happy news at the start of the year has really boosted my motivation!
From Vermeer to AI, from changing jobs to smiles... you might just find that one fateful article that resonates with you.