Читать книгу Comfortable Chaos - Carolyn Harvey & Beth Herrild - Страница 28

“You can say ‘no’ and smile only when there is a bigger ‘yes’ burning within you.” This wonderful quote was spotted on a desk calendar and the author is unknown. The message is so right on — you’ll never know when to say “no” unless you have clearly identified your personal “yesses.”

By identifying your priorities in Chapter 2, you have made them conscious and therefore more powerful. To make sure they stay fresh in your mind, consider displaying them in places where you need a reminder before taking on new commitments. For example, jot them in your calendar or daily planner or enter them in your personal digital assistant (pda). Maybe you will just need a key word like “priorities” to serve as your cue.

Don’t feel bad if you find you constantly have to return to focusing on or updating your priorities. Donna, who is a school psychologist and has extensive training on identifying values and priorities, recently found herself out of sorts. She was running at full speed and realized that her commitments had become overwhelming. So she made time to sit down and review her priorities. “I feel so much better,” she later said. “I knew I wasn’t spending my time where my priorities lie, but until I really took the time to compare my commitments to my priorities, I was unable to get off the hamster wheel.” Donna is still performing her job duties well, but she is now making the time to eat more healthily and exercise.

To prevent yourself from reaching a crisis like Donna, don’t answer immediately when you are asked or tempted to take on a new project or opportunity. Instead, ask yourself, “Does this time commitment support or detract from my priorities?” This is the essence of many time management programs but we all need to be reminded of this simple step. It’s too easy to get caught up in the excitement of something new or the seduction of helping out and being a team player. These are all definite attractions but unless they fit with your current priorities, you may later feel resentment about the task and frustration about not having the time for what really matters to you.