JUST SAY NO!
A HUGE, HUGE TIME SAVER!!!



It is a super practice to "just say no" to a lot of useless stuff that just pops into your life…requests, things that are not your responsibility, and much much more as you get into the laws of relevancy and irrelevancy.

Everything outside of the boundaries you set is a "just say no".  Of course, you would do it in a polite way, as in the list further down in this piece.  
"No" is known as the most effective time saver of all. 


REMOVING THE NONESSENTIALS IS A HUGE LIFE BOOSTER

"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything."
                                                                             Warren Buffett

And this clearly applies to success in all of life, not just one's profession!


JUST SAY THIS

It is not difficult to figure out a way to say no in a respectful, polite, non-offending way.

Decide a few of the sentences you will use.  Memorize them and you're on your way to having more of what you want in your life and less of what you don't want.

"I appreciate the request, but right now I am full up with more than enough to do.  I just don't have the time." 

"Let me think about this and get back to you."

Just those two should suffice, now that I think more about this.

This is a possible statement to make after you've "thought about it":

"I've given it careful thought and I have other things that I must do - and I simply don't have the time to do it justice."  (Or simply "I've thought about it and I simply don't have the time to spend on this.  Thanks for asking though..." - and, perhaps, "maybe Joe can do it or how about Sam...?")


NOW WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT REQUESTS FROM THE FAMILY?

It is harder to turn down requests from family members, as they for sure are more important than all but a few others in your life.  And there is a trap and a danger there that they associate your complying with their requests and demands as being a show of love - so you've got to somehow invalidate that belief or find a way to work with that trap-belief. 

"I know you can do it.  I'll be here for help if you really need it." This is what you might say to requests for you to do things that people are capable of doing for themselves and/or need to learn through trying.  (Consider reading How Do I Separate Supporting The Kids From Rescuing Them - I Want Them To Know I Accept Them As They Are....)

"That is something you can do.  I'll be happy to support you with what I can uniquely do for you."

"I'm sorry, Sweetie (or some term of endearment), but I just don't have time right now for that.  I have some other things I have to do."

Or, the classic, "let me think about it and get back to you".

Or even better (tongue in cheek): "OK, I'd be happy to do that for you if you will do ... for me..."

Or, see the sidebar links...


COMPLETE, DECIDE WHAT YOU WILL SAY AND DO...

If you give this enough thought to decide what to do and say, the payoff in time saved for higher payoff items will be huge.

Decide this right now.  (Put this into you "reminders" notebook/system, using it until it becomes an easy habit.)