Does your day run you?
Do things just pop out of nowhere and take over whatever is listed for your to-dos for the day? Can you say no to them or do they suddenly become the priority?
My favourite response when I want to say no to someone’s request and don’t feel I can say it outright is, “thanks, that sounds great, I’m at capacity at the moment, can you come back to me in a week?”
Rarely do they come back.
I’m often asked to do things that simply aren’t a priority to me. They’re rarely a good use of my time, effort or attention but it’s well-known that I’m resourceful so a lot is asked of me. By saying that I’m at capacity, I can suggest that I’m fully booked without it being rude or an outright fib.
The same is true when I’m a coach and I’m managing my schedule. A coach must have the knack for politely declining invitations and requests without causing offence.
How does your coach say no to things? I’ll bet they have awesome techniques you can learn.
Don’t have one? Ask me. I happen to know a thing or two about ways to manage those niggly little time-suckers.
