Are you the sort of person who finds it difficult to say ‘no’? Maybe you love to help others, or you’re very conscientious. Those are laudable traits, but remember that every ‘Yes’ is a ‘No’ to something else. Think about it. There are only so many hours, and so much energy, in any given day. And in our busy lives, we’re using all of it!
So if you want to have vitality and balance in your life, think carefully about what you are saying ‘yes’ to and why. If the things you are doing are making you happy, and overall giving you energy, then great. But if you feel like you’re always snowed under, rushing from one thing to the next, then you might need to explore why you’re so over-committed. Are you afraid others won’t like you, or maybe you’re a bit of a perfectionist?
A good question to ask yourself about every commitment you have is: Is this activity leading me toward my goals in some way? If not, why am I doing it? And remember that goals aren’t just career or academic. You can – and hopefully do – have goals for vitality, health and simply fun and happiness!
Finally, remember that you are one human being – you can’t do it all yourself, but you can choose how you spend your precious time and energy.