Time Management: Saying "Yes" So You Can Say "No"

What if plowing through your task list was more about who you are than your "time management" methodology?

When presented with unfinished projects and burnt out team members, the instinct is usually to help improve time management skills or offer training in executing goals. In fact, time management and execution are some of the most requested training I encounter with my clients.

I get the logic. If we know HOW to manage our task list, we should be able to do it, right? It's a matter of competency. 

However, despite being armed with the best research-backed methods and state-of-the-art tech, we still struggle with managing our time and attention.

Where is the Disconnect?

One area that can mess up our groove is our inability to say "NO" to things that divert our attention away from our priorities - especially when those things seem urgent or important in their own right. The late Dr. Stephen R. Covey notes that it is a lack of understanding our personal priorities that keep us from filtering out unimportant tasks so we can focus on the important:

“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically, to say “no” to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger “yes” burning inside. The enemy of the “best” is often the “good.”

What is the "Yes" Burning Inside You?

Although most of us agree with the sentiment that passion drives focus, it can be difficult to identify exactly where our own passion lies. Here are some questions inspired by the 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity to help direct your thinking:

1. Do you know what is most important to you? 

Set aside company goals and looming deadlines for a moment. When was the last time you sat down and really laid out what is important in your life? What do you want to accomplish this year professionally/personally? Where do you want to be in 10 years? How do you get there? What is standing in your way?

Try scheduling in some time quarterly for reflection. This isn't just an exercise for first-year interns or low-level employees. In order to master the art of saying "no," you need to constantly reassess your understanding of what is most important to you - and what isn't. Reminding ourselves of what we care about on a continuing basis is a great way to ensure we remain focused.

2. Do you know what roles you play? 

Many of us play hundreds of roles in our lives. Have you ever taken the time to figure out which of those roles you want to focus on and determine how much time you are spending - or NOT spending - on each of those roles? Take a look at which roles are taking up the majority of your time - whether you intend to or not, you are already prioritizing your time. Are these roles the ones you want to be focusing on? How can you reallocate your time so you spend more on the roles important to you?

You can't consider yourself a stellar "family man" or "volunteer rock-star," if you aren't devoting any time to these ventures and are instead wasting time on other, less important roles. Or more commonly - you are spending your time on things that seem important, but don't have anything to do with those things you are passionate about.

3. Do you know how you fit into the larger picture? 

Once you understand who you are and what you want, ask yourself where that identity fits into the goals of your organization or project. Where are you aligned? What tasks could be delegated to someone else? Not only will this exercise empower you to find greater balance at work, it will also help you to become more of an asset to the organization by completing more of the projects you are assigned and creating more opportunities for team members to add value at all levels:

• Positively impact your subordinates: Think of it this way...If you never delegate tasks to team members, they will never have a chance to shine and progress their own careers. Plus, by delegating, you are able to commit to less and therefore get more done - A win win! By narrowing your focus, you may be turning down projects, but the fewer projects you have on your plate, the more likely you are to complete them - especially if they are ones you are passionate about. 
• Keep your rapport with superiors: Keeping yourself aligned with your organization's goals also makes it easier to push back when other priorities threaten to derail you. It is far easier to say no to a superior if you are doing so in order to execute on the more important goals they have already tasked you with. Don't forget - superiors are under the same stresses you are and are just as likely to forget where the real priority lies.

Seek Results, Not Busy Work

A few years ago I was working for a supervisor notorious for landing people with urgent tasks, only to burst into your office with other tasks that completely disrupted your flow. On one such occasion, I was working on a project he had assigned me that was critical to our larger initiative and had to be done that day. When he burst into my office with an urgent but obviously less important task, I reminded him of the importance of what I was doing and asked him if he preferred I set my task aside for the new one. Needless to say, he found someone else to help with the less important task.

If you understand your highest priorities as a person, you can better determine what unimportant goals, tasks, notifications, etc. can be set aside to focus on what is truly important. Time management skills can come later - If you really want to manage your time better in 2018, start by taking some time to first figure out what "yes" is burning inside you.

Want to learn more tips on time management? CLICK HERE to explore The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity.