No. A small word. But your most powerful time management tool. When you can say no to requests that take you away from what’s important to you then YOU have control of your time, not other people.
If you struggle with saying no, and many of us do, depending on the person asking and the situation, there are some great strategies around to help you. But from our experience we’ve found being aware of the strategies won’t stop you from falling back into your old habits.
To shift those habits and feel comfortable about saying no it is critical to get clear about how much of an issue it is for you and the benefits for you in making changes. We need to know either one or both of these to feel motivated enough to take action – the pain and pleasure. An easy way to do that is through your Pink Shoe Power Time Management Style, for three reasons:
1. Your TMS gives you valuable insight into how you handle requests and interruptions
2. Your TMS allows you to understand the real impact saying yes has on you (the pain)
3. Your TMS gives you a reason for taking action that makes sense to you – you can see the benefits (the pleasure) so you’re motivated to move forward.
Here’s an example for each Pink Shoe Power Time Management Style so you can see what we mean.
If you’re a Helpful Helen saying no can be a real challenge for you because you enjoy doing things for others. But you’ll find there will come a point where you’re neglecting yourself and what makes you happy and energized. We suggest you work on building your muscle around saying no without guilt to get time back for you and your priorities.
Juggling Julies love having lots of projects on the go, so they tend to say yes to new opportunities and tasks because of the challenge and variety they provide. But constant switching between tasks and juggling multiple projects takes time away from what is really important for you and can leave you feeling pulled in too many different directions. An important time management strategy for you is to get clear about your priorities in business and personally and make decisions based on those when faced with a new requests. These priorities will give you the motivation to stay focused so saying no is easier.
Last Minute Lucy is happy to take on new tasks and projects when not up against a deadline. They can provide a welcome distraction when you don’t feel like tackling a task. The reality is you can waste a lot of time on, and hold yourself back from achieving your goals faster. As a Lucy it is important to take some time to understand why you look for distractions and interruptions (we will talk more about that in another article). When you are clear about why, the strategies for saying no will work for you.
If you’re a Focused Fiona or Driven Diana you tend to feel comfortable pushing back on requests that don’t fit your current priorities. The value for you lies in understanding the Time Management Style of colleagues, family or friends who struggle to say no. When you understand why they are saying yes, you can help them change their patterns.
With your Time Management Style(s) in mind, take a look at the 8 tips we’ve gathered together, choose one or two that resonate with you, and decide today what action you will take.
If you want to know more about Pink Shoe Power, go to the website or send us an email; contactus@pinkshoepower.com. Love to hear from you.
{ 1 trackback }