All right. You’ve got too much to do, your body is already in stress mode with the pressure building on you, and you don’t know how to fix it (for good).
Here’s what you do. Courtesy of Marcus Urbanski, a Swedish business coach: “An underutilized productivity hack is saying no.”
Couldn’t agree more, Marcus. If you’ve got too much on your plate, chances are you’re not saying no to something (‘cause it’s for sure past your energy ability to deliver).
So let’s get into the weeds on this.
- What *are* you ignoring now that it’s on your schedule?
- What are you *assuming* has the rubber stamp of approval?
- When was the last time you stopped to ask your husband, your kids, and even yourself which activities you actually want to keep going to? (Based on how they make you feel when you’re prepping to get there, *not* how they guilt you into coming back.)
You see what I’m getting at here? All that stuff on your schedule was placed there by *you*. And if it wasn’t, then you’ve got a boundary issue you need to be dealing with.
But otherwise, you chose it. You allowed it. *You* drifted along and said, “Yes, let’s keep going to it.”
Not your calendar. (I’m sorry, AI hasn’t gotten that good yet. Which means you have to take personal responsibility.)
An underutilized productivity hack is saying no.
Marcus Urbanski
Ouch, that bit.
- Where are you pretending that someone *else* overloaded your calendar, not that it’s *your* fault for not playing gatekeeper?
- Where are you skipping taking the good, hard look at your weekly schedule, ‘cause you don’t want to disappoint a church member or relative?
- What’s been your go-to “oh, but we have to do that for now” excuse that’s dragged on for years, at least months?
*That’s* what you’ve got to quit. *That’s* what you’ve got to stop lying to yourself about.
I’m serious. Otherwise, you’re not going to see any change. Nothing’s going to materially happen for you to make this better.
Because it’s *your* beliefs – it’s *your* expectations – that keep on creating the same outcomes here.
Not how many people badger you to put their party on your calendar.
- So what are you feeling zinged toward today?
- Where do you need that deep-dive journaling exploration this morning?
- What’s changing about your self-talk around calendar expectations today?
Answer *those* questions, and it’s going to change everything for you.
In your schedule, in your to-do list, and in your mental peace.
Let’s get going.
