When you’re busy it’s often hard to say no. There’s a saying, “if you want something done, give it to a busy person”.
So, why are busy people the ones most likely to complete extra tasks? There is a theory that a busy person is already good at assessing the task, working out how long it will take and what steps are required to get it done. A busy person can look ahead and add in extra work by working more efficiently or faster or just working longer hours because they have a strong work ethic that keeps them going.
While a lot of these traits are good to have, they can also mean a busy person may end up suffering burnout.
There’s also the theory that a busy person just hasn’t learnt to say no when they’re asked to do more.
If you keep taking on more responsibilities and never really stop, you’re putting your well-being at risk. Your stress levels are likely to rise and you won’t find time for self-care.
Are you the type of person who never says no? Do you always take on more tasks because they are given to you because you’re a busy person? If this is you, it’s time to learn how to put boundaries in place.
By knowing your limits and learning to say no you will find time for self-care. You’ll find ways to incorporate relaxing activities into your day because you’ll finally be limiting all the other things that take your time.
There are so many ways in which busy people get caught up in taking on more than they have time for. Sometimes it is your work and you need to learn to politely refuse to take on extra hours. But at other times it might be family members making too many requests of you. If your sister-in-law is asking you to take care of her kids and your parents need your help to move house on the same weekend it might just be the last straw.
In addition to saying no to other people you also need to learn how to say no to yourself. This means you need to stop yourself from wasting your relaxation time on other activities.
Don’t allow yourself to take on new projects around the house or at work if you know you don’t have time for them. If you tend to take on too much, learn to say no to yourself when you’re making plans to undertake a new task. Do you really need to complete that project this week or this month? If you find this difficult then write down what your top three priorities are and try to stick to them without taking on more.
