Barbara and Matt explain that the tool not only helps identify your genius zone but also clarifies your true hourly rate. If a task can be done for 75% or less of that rate, you should delegate it to focus on higher-value work. However, many resist delegation because it forces them out of their comfort zone—they must embrace selling, marketing, or growth activities that better use their time. This ties back to mindset: stepping outside comfort zones is essential for business growth.
The stop doing list – part two: unpacking and creating your stop doing list so you can step into your genius zone
Virtual Success Show
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Episode breakdown
In the second episode of our three-part special on The Stop Doing List book, author Matt Malouf talks about the key to understanding where you are spending your time and how to categorise those tasks to get clear on where you should be spending more time – your Genius Zone. During this episode, Matt explains that the more time you spend in your ‘genius zone’, the more you’ll love your business, the more profitable your business will be and the more freedom you will have long-term.
- The importance of determining the value of your time – your hourly rate – and the process to do so
- Understanding your genius zone – those tasks and activities that you love doing, that you do really well and that have a positive financial return to you and the company
- How to filter your tasks through the focus funnel in order to determine which tasks you should, delegate, automate or eliminate to create your ultimate Stop Doing List
It's just investing that time and energy in order to move forward faster later rather than tomorrow.
In this episode
00:00 - Introduction
Barbara and Matt kick off part two of their three-part series on The Stop Doing List. Barbara shares how impactful the book has been for her and explains that this episode focuses on how to actually create a stop doing list—something many business owners struggle with, especially when deciding what tasks to delegate to a support assistant. Matt emphasizes that growth starts with letting go of tasks, using support assistants or technology to avoid burnout. Barbara adds that freeing up time is essential for strategy and scaling. They reference a past episode, Think You’ve Only Got Five Hours to Delegate? Think Again, and Matt is invited to outline the key steps from this part of the book.
02:30 – Unpacking and creating your Stop Doing list
Matt explains that this part of the book focuses on identifying where your time goes, calculating your hourly rate, and using it as a guide to decide which tasks you should or shouldn’t be doing. By logging time for at least two weeks, you gain clarity on task value, then work toward spending more time in your “genius zone”—tasks you love, excel at, and that generate positive financial returns. Doing so leads to greater enjoyment, profitability, and long-term freedom in your business.
03:55 – Understanding your genius zone
Part two of the book explains the four levels of work—genius, excellence, competence, and incompetence—and emphasizes using the focus funnel (eliminate, automate, delegate, or focus/procrastinate) to decide what to stop doing. A key challenge arises when people misjudge the special skills needed for tasks, often expecting support assistants to handle expert-level work like graphic design or website building. Barbara highlights that while support assistants can manage simpler tasks, specialized roles require specialists. They also stress that a true “genius zone” must combine passion, skill, and financial return—enjoying a task isn’t enough if it doesn’t drive business results.
08:00 – Calculating your hourly rate
10:25 – Determining your opportunity cost
Matt explains that the tool also calculates opportunity cost, showing how much money is lost annually if you keep doing low-value tasks instead of delegating them. Barbara shares a client example where this exercise revealed a $247,000 yearly loss, which motivated him to hire a support assistant properly and scale his business. The tool, available for free at StopDoing.com.au, makes these costs and gains very clear. The book further explains the theory and guides readers on focusing on their genius zone for growth.
12:35 – Wrapping things up
Matt and Barbara emphasize that while many tasks lack systems, a good support assistant can help create them if given time and patience. They stress the importance of slowing down to speed up—investing two to three months in onboarding and system-building leads to smoother delegation later. This sets the stage for the next part of their series, which will focus on the crucial process of how to actually stop doing tasks, since many business owners still struggle even after building systems. They close by inviting feedback, ratings, and participation in their private Facebook group.
