If you’d like to massively boost your productivity and get more from your working week, I have a word of advice for you.
That word is ‘No!’
- No, that person can’t ‘just pick your brains,’ when you have a business to run and they want your time and ideas for free.
- No, your clients or customers can not run your diary! If you really want to deliver exceptional service, you need to learn to prioritise and respond at the right time. Yes, if you are a plumber and they have a burst water pipe, the right time to respond is immediately. Otherwise, respond when you can be of most assistance, which is usually not the exact second they email you.
- No, that cold caller can’t ‘just take a few minutes of your time’, just because they want to sell you something and you’re number is on a list they bought.
- No, stopping for a break when you feel you need one is not a bad idea. Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do, is to do nothing. Give your mind a chance to relax and refocus, for short periods throughout the day.
The key thing here is to accept the word ‘no’, as one of your most powerful tools in the war against low productivity.