Build a stop-doing list that creates real capacity

The short answer

A stop-doing list should target repeated work with weak strategic value, low marginal return or a better owner. For each item, choose stop, simplify, automate or delegate, then define the boundary that prevents it from returning unnoticed.

Find candidates from evidence

1. 1. Repeated low output Find activities that consumed meaningful time across several weeks without proportional results.
2. 2. Duplicate ownership Identify work that several people or tools perform without a clear source of truth.
3. 3. Decision-free reporting Remove measurement and reporting that never changes a goal, action or decision.
4. 4. Founder default Find work that remains with you only because ownership was never redesigned.

Choose the right removal mode

Stop work that no longer matters. Simplify work whose output matters but whose process is oversized. Automate stable, repeated steps. Delegate when judgment is transferable and another owner can see the necessary context.

Add a return condition. An activity may come back only when a named trigger occurs, not because it feels familiar or urgent.

Questions

How many things should I stop at once?

Start with one to three repeated activities so the reclaimed capacity becomes visible.

What if I am unsure whether work matters?

Pause it for a defined period and observe the consequence instead of arguing from habit.

Should personal routines be included?

Yes when the routine consumes capacity without supporting health, values or a meaningful result.