Did you know there’s science behind being snappy? The World Health Organization recognizes burnout as an occupational phenomenon due to ongoing stress. But the tricky part is that it shows up as a spectrum. Burnout displays as being so overwhelmed that you can waffle between being apathetic or angry and passive-aggressive.
The old way of bossing up when you were spread too thin was to put your head down and plow through your To Do list. However, it’s time to stamp “Expired” on that mindset and up your productivity cut-off game. That’s because ending haphazard choices is more than good business—it’s good for your health. As a colleague summed it up beautifully, “You don’t need to catch up for yesterday. You just need to focus on today.”
Let’s meet someone who cut expenses and used her budgeting skills to make the most of her day.
Ying-Li was first at the mic for the “Wins” section at my Women’s Personal Finance Group. She didn’t have just one win. The silver lining was the spillover effect money changes brought to her family’s welfare.
Cataloging their expenses provided the a-ha that they often said yes to the kids’ sports because they felt pressured or obligated. They didn’t realize how much those random yesses cost until they saw the results in dollars and cents.
For instance, a “Sure,” meant saying yes to killer gas bills from driving kids in different directions. “Why not?” to a neighbor created double bills for multiple leagues. And an off-handed “No problem” resulted in a yes to a worn out, grouchy family by Sunday night.
But they bowed out as leagues ended. Upping their cut-off game has led to a bigger bank account and a new set of yesses. That’s because they’re repurposing what they would have spent on duplicate league fees, eating out, and gas for the family’s first-ever Disney cruise. And that was a hell, yes.
In the March series, Productivity Break-Ups, we’re discussing three behaviors hindering your success. Have you been like the case study, where indiscriminate choices pulled you in multiple directions? Refining how you see time is one way to take back your calendar. Budget commitments the way you might budget money.
You might think, That sounds easy, but I worry about saying no to cool stuff. Fair enough. However, failing to protect your time is a fast pass to physical stress, mental burnout, or running down your credibility.
For instance, remember when someone overcommitted and either ghosted you or delivered half-baked materials? Or worse yet, have you known someone to casually toss out, “Too busy” or “Hit me up another time”? They may think those responses are quick and to the point. But they can also be mistaken for being detached or sounding arrogant.
A better path is to back your productivity goals with skills like expert communication and heartfelt authenticity. Add context to your response to illustrate how you’re budgeting your time.
Here are three possible replies demonstrating you’re in demand (and be sure to noodle on answers that feel right to you). For example:
And what do you do if you don’t have time or energy to negotiate the nuances? Easy! Your go-to escape hatch is “Let me check my calendar.” It’s the two minutes you’ll need to double-check your time budget before overspending.
Productivity wins hinge on how you human. So, be selective about who and what gets your precious yes but also diplomatic. Up your productivity cut-off game and break up with haphazard choices.
Work skills don’t have to be a mystery. Check out the straight talk in my new book at Amazon, Soft Skills Basics in a Flash.