When we think of prioritization or focus, we often think of making a list. Perhaps prioritizing that list and asking ourselves what we tasks we want to be sure we do. When was the last time you asked what you should stop doing?

One of my favorite practices in agile software development is the retrospective. The idea of taking a small amount of time on a regular basis to assess and adjust the process as a team has huge compounding benefits. When I have facilitated retrospectives in the past, one key question I ask is “what should we stop doing?”

When you consider your priorities, how often are you thinking about what you should stop doing? We are creatures of habit and routine, and we regularly do things because we have always done them. It is not immediately natural to assume things need to change. Over time we collect habits, tasks, responsibilities that may no longer be the right place to spend our time.

I recall taking on the responsibility of reporting the status of releases out to the various business owners that needed regular updates on the status. The communication was new and it was important that it come from me as the head of product development. After many weeks of sending the update, I realized that I was conveying status that my team had (and my involvement was almost ceremonial). As I transitioned the communication to one of my staff, the process was more effective and no less powerful even though the status did not come from me directly.

We all have a finite amount of time in our day. Ask yourself what you can stop doing regularly. This habit is important to create space for what you should be doing. Having clear priorities is important. When you don’t stop doing tasks that aren’t top on your list you won’t have time to dedicate to your priorities. What can you stop doing today?