One of the very best ways to manage your time is to learn to say no. Saying no is a great way to control how you spend your time and take your power back. Most of us don’t know how to say no because our parents taught us very well not to say no. Many two-year-olds love saying no, and they are quickly taught that the word no is very unacceptable. It’s time to take back the power of no and earn more time in your day for doing what you really want to do.

• You’ll Reduce Your Stress – One of the worst things about overscheduling your time is the stress that it will cause. Learning to say no will automatically reduce your stress, even if the first few times you say no will be a little stressful. The freedom you experience will soon overshadow the fear of saying no.
• You’ll Be Perceived as More Professional – No one person can do everything. If you already have something scheduled and can’t do something, it is to be expected of a professional person. You don’t even have to provide a reason; just say that your calendar is full.
• You’ll Improve at Tasks You Really to Want to Do – If you’re not spending time doing stuff you hate doing, you’ll get to spend more time doing things you want to do. That means you’ll get more practice and become better at the things you already like doing.
• You Get to Spend Time Doing What You Want to Do – No one wants to spend time doing things they dislike doing, and they still tend to say yes due to the lessons they were taught. If you really want to spend more time writing or helping your clients/employees solve their problems, say no to doing things you don’t want to do and recommend someone else.                                           
• People Will Respect You More – Even really good people lose respect for those who act like doormats. You probably don’t want to appear as a doormat; you’re just trying to be helpful. Even nice people will take advantage of those who say yes all the time. That’s why you’ll notice it’s always the same three people doing all the work in any group. The “yes” people. Are you one of these people?
• Saying No Gives You the Opportunity to Say Yes – This may sound counter-intuitive and it’s true. If you learn to say no to things that don’t advance your business or life in any measurable way, you’ll have more time to say yes to things that do.
• You Won’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew – People who say yes to everything tend to do most things half way. They don’t mean to. They get too much on their plate and end up not being able to do the tasks they agreed to do to the best of their ability. If you say no, you can avoid this embarrassment.
• Pause, Breathe Deeply, Check Your Calendar – In order to say no without a problem, when someone asks you to do something, even if it’s something you know immediately that you do want to do, make it a practice to take a pause, take a breath, and check your calendar – internal or external calendar. The act of “calendar checking” can give you time to give some thought to whether or not you want to say yes or no.

Saying no can truly give you back enough time to create the life that you really want to live. If you’re feeling hurried and overwhelmed take the time to practice saying no. By saying no you’ll take control of your schedule and feel like you get more time in your day.

PS … If you’d like information on this and other ways to shift your mindset, let’s talk! Email me at denise@denisehansard.com 

Poor organizational skills can hinder your professional career, cost you time and money, lead to poor relationships, and even to declining mental or physical health. To keep up with your responsibilities and be highly productive, you must possess organizational skills. Thankfully, with training and dedication, you can learn to be more organized. Yes, even you.

Being organized means that you can prioritize, declutter, and schedule people, tasks, or things wisely based on your goals. Being organized can improve all these things and more:

Improves Time Management

Staying organized allows you to always be on time, so you avoid missing important deadlines or appointments. When you are not organized, time is often wasted searching for needed items, tools, and paperwork. Spending time searching instead of doing it can lead to missed deadlines, forgotten meetings, and not having time to go to outings with friends and family.

Improves Mental and Physical Health

Being organized allows you to de-stress, improving overall health as you no longer miss important deadlines or scramble to find important objects through your house or office. Decluttering your space is known to reduce cortisol levels, the hormone responsible for stress. If you want to feel calmer, clean up your space immediately.

Improves and Increases Productivity and Efficiency

Being organized helps you use your time more wisely. When you are organized, you feel like you have more time to work on essential tasks leading to higher productivity. Having the resources that you need front and center without having to fumble through other clutter leads to more valuable time to finish your tasks and produce high-quality work. Having everything you need ready to go can also make overwhelming tasks easier to get done and be used as a source of motivation to keep going.

Creates A Clutter-free And More Hygienic Environment

Clutter leads to dust or more dirt collection that can wreak havoc on your physical and mental health. A clutter-free environment is more hygienic and is known to decrease cortisol levels, leaving you relieved, satisfied, and happier, not to mention ready to work and tackle all the tasks you need to do.

Leads to Improved and Better Relationships

Organization provides fewer opportunities to stress or worry while spending time with friends, family, or other meaningful relationships. Organization includes arranging every aspect of your life to make it easier. This includes ensuring you only work at work, not at home or during other people’s time.

As you can see, being and staying organized is the key to optimal success. If you want a successful career, more meaningful relationships, and improved physical and mental health, you must adopt organizational habits.

PS … If you’d like information on this and other ways to shift your mindset, let’s talk! Email me at denise@denisehansard.com