Time Management is undervalued.  Especially if you live in NYC where it seems those who work 14 hour days wear those hours like a badge of honor.  Yet, is working that many hours something to be revered?  Or will those hours spent at the office prevent those workers from having time to cultivate other interests, feel relaxed, have personal relationships, take a vacation or care for themselves properly?

Time Management is a skill that anyone can learn.  Little by little, taking control of our time becomes instinctive and making decisions based on these learned skills becomes much easier. So in this blog we are covering how to say NO!  This lesson is based on my Oxygen Mask Theory.  One must attend to themselves first in order to affect and help others positively.  If you overextend yourself because of a fear of saying no, you show others you can be a pushover if enough pressure is applied.  You show your children and loved ones that you are not as important as others.  Do you want to teach your children how to follow in those footsteps?  Showing yourself kindness is the truest way to be kind to others.

Learning to say no affectively is difficult.  Often when a woman says, "no" it becomes the beginning of a negotiation and you may find others continuing to apply pressure to say yes.  Stick to your instincts.  Will this opportunity that someone has put in front of you help you in any way?  Do you have time for this opportunity?  Is this opportunity right for you right now?  Learning to ask these questions can often help you reach the right decision and help you stick to it.

Perhaps you say yes out of fear or guilt.  You are afraid you will be thought of as not a team player, not a nice person, a lazy person or a bad parent.  Thinking of yourself first in order to make a decision that will affect your life is never wrong or selfish.  If an offer comes along you feel you can't take based on the above criteria, simply say, "thank you so much for the opportunity.  I'm flattered you thought of me.  However, I do not feel I could affectively take on this new role due to lack of time.  Please feel free to contact me should other opportunities arise that I may have more time to devote to in the future."

If the person goes away angry with your decision to say no, this is their problem, not yours.   If you say "yes" to an opportunity you don't want, all it will lead to is stress and unhappiness and take away from being involved in activities you do love.

Stay tuned for more information on Organizing your Time.  For more information contact us at: info@gothamconcierge.com.  We provide a Time Management seminar to help others learn to control their time more affectively.