“Remember that there is no code faster than no code.” – Taligent’s Guide to Designing Programs

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

What’s the fastest way to get a task off your to-do list?

Just delete it … or don’t put it there in the first place.

When we read articles and books on productivity, getting things done, effectiveness, it’s not because we want to be hyperefficient or as speedy as Gonzales. It’s because we’d like to accomplish Something Amazing.

Which is a good thing. But we must remember that: let’s not try to be productive for the sake of being productive. Let’s focus on getting to done (or better yet: just doing what we love).

And the best way to get there is to keep things as simple as possible. What are the fewest number of steps required to get there? How can we remove busy work and distractions and wasteful meetings and needless tasks?

Omit needless tasks.

Cross them off your list, or make it hard for them to get there in the first place. Make every task that goes on your list past a test: is it truly necessary? Will I have felt great about doing it, when I’m done?

Because not doing it at all is often the best way to get things done.

“The cheapest, fastest, and most reliable components of a computer system are those that aren’t there.” – Gordon Bell

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