This is the sixth of 7 Steps to Save Time and be free from Overwhelm. Each post walks through some quick actionable steps that will help you feel more organised and in control, in just 15 minutes.
Here are the links to the previous steps of this series, in case you missed them:
Step 1 - Declutter to focus
Step 2 - Passwords
Step 3 - Digital Note-taking
Step 4 - Calendar
Step 5 - Plan Your Week
Now that you have seen your Full schedule of meetings, appointments and tasks for the week, how are you feeling?
Today's action will help reduce some of the overwhelm that could be coming up.
This step is simple. It might not be EASY, but it's simple.
Step 6 - Say NO
Just Say NO to:
distractions
doing ALL the things
trying to please everyone
Watch this video for some ideas of things you CAN say no to.
How This Saves You Time
You're doing less, full stop.
Less time doing things that aren't getting you closer to your goals.
Less time on things that stress you out.
And this gives you MORE time for the things that get you closer to your dreams, giving you a sense of achievement.
And more time for what makes you happy!
What You Need
Willpower
Clarity on your goals and priorities
Some good ways of saying no that you feel comfortable using. See further reading below, or just google "how to say no" for ideas.
Today's 15-minute Actions
Take notice of what you spend your time doing. Do any of them fall into the above-listed categories?
Ask these questions when considering current commitments. If ALL of the answers are no then say NO to it!
Does this get me closer to my goal?
Is this good for me, my family or my business?
Do I enjoy it? Does it make me happy?
Pick at least one or 2 things to start saying NO to.
Remember WHY you are saying no to them, what are you going to do with the extra time? (And it's ok if the answer is to just relax and feel calm). Remembering why will help motivate you to keep saying no.
Extra steps
If you want to take this a step further,
Further reading - Essentialism by Greg McKeown*
This book is all about doing less, but better. It gives a lot more detail about why but also the HOW. I've listened to it as an audiobook, multiple times!
My video tips on ways to stop checking your phone constantly - including links to instructions to turn off notifications. Watch here
What's Next
How exciting! Just one step to go in this series. Soon we'll take a look at ways to automate and streamline your systems. The Ultimate step to save you time!
Would you like more personalised help specific to your business requirements? Get in touch today to learn how we can help create more time in your business.
*This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase this product, I will earn a small commission. But I definitely only recommend books and products that I have used and LOVE.
