It is open-ended and broad.

“What are the biggest challenges you are facing in your career right now?”

I expected a variety of answers like advancement, money, not being visible enough but almost everyone has been giving me a variation on the same theme:

Time. I need more of it!

• One person said her biggest challenge was that she was, once again, going to have unused PTO because the workload was so enormous that even when she did take time off she still worked.
• Another said that she wished she had more time to coach her team so that they could advance their careers at the same time allowing her to delegate tasks so she could get freed up to do other things.
• And the third woman said that the pressure in software technology was more stressful than ever. The unrealistic expectations about what could be done in what timeframe. The pressure never let up. She was ready to exit tech and do something totally different.

Q: How do you create more time in your day, career, and life?

As I listened to what these women were saying, it became clear that time management was certainly an issue, but boundaries were what really needed to be addressed.

💣Truth Bomb: When you do not have clear boundaries there is never enough time.

When you are not firm with your boundaries at work you are more likely to suffer negative consequences like:

• Burnout from always being available
• Increased stress from conflicting priorities
• Relationships in and out of work suffer
• Loss of focus from attending to interruptions
• Resentment
• Career stagnation
• A pattern of not saying NO in all areas of your life
• Decreased productivity and being seen as disorganized

I know you are feeling me on this. You know you will feel better, be more productive, have more fun at work, and have the time to pursue other pleasurable things in and out of work if you created stronger boundaries.

Easier said than done, right?

How do you tell your boss to back off?

How do you feel OK with adding to your team’s plate even as you clean off your own?

What strategies can you use to manage time more productively?

All good questions but I want to focus on the NUMBER ONE STRATEGY …

Simply saying NO.

10 ways to say NO

1. Nope.

2. I’ll need to get back to you.

3. Thank you for thinking of me, but I have other commitments that need my full attention.

4. Let me think about that.

5. I can’t do that, but I could do this.

6. I need to prioritize my current workload, so I’m not able to take on any extra responsibilities.

7. Thanks but no thanks.

8. Now is not a good time.

9. I’m flattered that you thought of me, but I have to pass this time.

10. I am fully booked at this time.

As they say, if it’s not a HELL YES then it’s a HELL NO.

When you want more time in your day, say no.

Stay inspiHER’d,