Anti-To-Do List
Define the behaviours you must avoid before they derail your day
- Difficulty
- Starter
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 98%
The Anti-To-Do List complements a conventional task list by defining what must not happen during the day. Instead of treating progress only as a collection of positive actions, it makes obstructive behaviours visible before they occur. A person selects a few specific avoidances—such as complaining or using a phone around a child—and keeps them in view alongside planned work. That awareness creates a pause when the unwanted impulse appears, making interruption more likely. The mechanism is subtractive: removing a behaviour that consumes attention, weakens relationships, or reinforces an unwanted identity can release capacity without adding another demanding routine. Because risks change, the list should remain short and be revised as circumstances and recurring patterns change.
Origin
Sahil Bloom described the Anti-To-Do List as a daily practice for making unwanted behaviours as visible as desired tasks.
Core principles
- 01Avoiding harmful actions can matter as much as completing helpful ones
- 02Visible constraints interrupt automatic behaviour
- 03Subtraction often creates transformation faster than addition
How to run it
- 1
Find the boat anchors
Notice the actions that repeatedly make your days worse or block the person you want to become.
Pro tip Start with behaviours you have already observed, not hypothetical flaws.
- 2
Make avoidance concrete
Rewrite each risk as a clear instruction beginning with “Do not.” Use observable language such as “Do not complain” or “Do not use the phone in front of my son.”
Watch out Vague entries such as “be better” cannot interrupt a specific action.
- 3
Keep the list visible
Place the anti-to-do items beside your normal plan so they are present before and during moments of choice.
Pro tip Limit the list to the few behaviours most likely to appear today.
- 4
Interrupt the impulse
When you feel pulled toward a listed behaviour, use the visible reminder to stop before acting.
Pro tip Treat noticing the impulse as useful progress, even when stopping still feels difficult.
- 5
Review and revise
At day’s end, mark what you avoided and update the list when different behaviours become the main constraints.
Watch out Do not let yesterday’s list become an automatic ritual disconnected from current risks.
In the wild
Bloom identified having his phone out in front of his son as a behaviour he wanted to avoid. Putting that prohibition on an Anti-To-Do List creates awareness at the moment he reaches for the device, rather than relying on a general intention to be more present.
→ More opportunities to interrupt phone use and give undivided attention to his son.
A person who defaults to complaining writes “Do not complain” where it remains visible during the day. When a minor frustration triggers the familiar reaction, the list provides a cue to stop and choose a different response.
→ A recurring negative behaviour becomes visible and easier to disrupt.
Common mistakes
Listing vague character goals
An anti-to-do item must name an action you can notice and stop, not an abstract personality trait.
Turning subtraction into overload
A huge list creates another burdensome system. Focus on the few avoidances that would materially improve the day.
Is it for you?
Best for
People who know which habits repeatedly sabotage their focus, relationships, or mood.
Not ideal for
Situations where the main obstacle is missing knowledge or resources rather than behaviour.
From the transcript
“the anti- to-do list is uh the idea of like avoiding things during the day rather than uh just thinking about what you need to…”
“transformation comes from um taking specific actions it also comes from avoiding specific actions that are holding you back”
From the episode
Episode 421: Sahil Bloom: How Boring and Basic Routines Can Build 5 Types of True Wealth
Sahil Bloom