I don't know about you, but I struggle with saying no. Professional committees, bake sales, car pools, sports teams, errands, event planning... There's no end to the things we're asked to do. Too many times we ask ourselves"Can I do this?" when the right question would be "Should I do this?"
Contribution is one of the greatest human qualities and gives us a wonderful sense of pride and self-gratification. But sometimes things can get a little out-of-control and we find ourselves committing to things that don't serve us well.
We all have multiple roles we play. In order to feel successful, balanced and fulfilled, we need to dedicate a certain amount of time and attention to each one. It's important to remember that time spent in one area is time not spent in another. Time is a limited resource. Over-committing causes stress and keeps us from making progress on the things that are most important to us.
So the next time you're asked to do something, pause first and ask yourself "Is this the best use of my time?"If the answer is "no," gracefully decline. It may be hard at first, but it gets easier!
Because remember... just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.
