Your ‘avoid at all cost’ list

The ‘to do’ list can be seemingly never ending, especially in current circumstances. In this article, Indy Agnihotri, Chair of the London Accountant Editorial Board, outlines an easy strategy to prioritize and get tasks done.

Question: How do you focus on your priorities during these Covid times? How do you decide on what you should work on first? 

Answer: Create your ‘avoid at all costs list’

With billions to his name, the famous Warren Buffett, created a 2 step strategy that increases your productivity and helps you determine your priorities and actions!

1. First step: Buffett asked his pilot to list his top 25 of most important things he wanted to do.
2. Second step: He then asked him to choose his top 5. 

Once the pilot had chosen, Buffett asked what about the other 20 things on your list? What was his plan to accomplishing with these? The pilot replied that the others he would work on when he had time.

Buffett disagreed. The other 20 important things were the pilot’s ‘avoid at all cost list’. No matter what, these are the things that get no recognition until the top 5 are fulfilled.  

So get rid of them, and bin them!

The Buffett strategy is great, it eliminates the items and decisions that you don’t need and prioritises the top 5 goals. The reason why you have 20 or so unfinished tasks instead of 5 finished ones is that you are spending time on the lower importance priorities.

This allows you to have more time and energy to more transformational activities.

Eliminate. Focus. Create.

Go ahead, create your ‘avoid at all cost list’.

Indy Agnihotri is the Chair of the London Accountant Editorial Board.