Deep Dive Series: The Power of No Through a Calendar Check
By Tana M. Mann Easton, Lead Efficiency Engineer
If you’re the type of person who feels physically uncomfortable and, therefore, unable to say no to a request coming your way, then this habit change may be the ticket for you gaining back your decision-making ability.
A friend of mine has a rule for herself. If anyone makes a request of her time, her response is, “Let me look at my calendar and get back to you.” Unless the request is really easy and something she definitely wants to do, she defers to her calendar. This rule in her life creates space for her to not just say yes to someone because saying no feels uncomfortable in the moment. She now has time to really consider the request and whether it aligns with her priorities and her schedule and give either a yes or a no based on true consideration. If it’s a no, she tells people she’s “regretfully unavailable.” If you need more space to make decisions about too many requests coming into your life, then give the calendar check rule a try.
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Sincerely Yours,
Focus to Evolve Team