During the last few years, there have been many articles talking about burnout. You could be burnt out due to your job, family, kids, and other commitments that you have in your life.

It could be as simple as you are exhausted from constantly working, the years you have homeschooled the kids and tried to keep the house and your family’s lives going when there were no jobs and you are fast running out of money and stressing out about how you will all survive. Due to all this, you have no cash to go away, no cash to do anything for you, and the time that you had available from work has been depleted due to kids, being sick with covid, and other issues.

No wonder you and I are over everything, annoyed at having to keep all the balls in the air and never able to get a break. No wonder we are all on the verge of burnout or going through it currently.

Basically, a 3-month vacation on an island would be the thing to help me finally relax and reset, what about you?

What is a ‘To Don’t’ List?

I read online today about making ‘to don’t’ lists, instead of a to-do list you make a list of things you don’t want to do ever again! The idea is to free yourself from things you hate, don’t want to do, or feel that the things you have been doing are draining you or taking away from what you really want to be doing. Basically, a list to learn to embrace saying no and work on what you would like to do.

The article is called, “Constantly time poor? Emotionally drained? A ‘to don’t’ list may help” By Evelyn Lewin on the Sydney Morning Herald.

I have heard of pushing back and saying no, as well as not feeling bad about saying no. However, I have not heard of a ‘to-don’t’ list.

Personally, I have a few things to add to my don’t do list. What about you? What would you want to put on your don’t do list?

What are the things that will make my ‘to don’t’ list

Just so you know you cannot put all things on the list that you don’t want to do. Yep, I wish I could. However, there are certain things that need to still be done, like cooking, cleaning, the laundry, all things to do with the kids, and loads more.

Even though you cannot put all the items that you dread on your don’t ever do list there are some things that you can put a stop to. Once you decide not to do certain things you will be happier, freer and allow you to win back some of your time.

So with that in mind here are some of mine:

• Say no work that doesn’t progress my goals
• Don’t let everyone else have free time and not me – give myself time out to do things for me
• Block out your time at work to spend some time doing online courses to improve my work life
• Say no to organising things for others when they don’t do the return for you.

Are you now excited to make your own ‘to don’t’ list?