Every day in most well organised businesses is busy. Always lots to do.
Our lives can feel the same way too. Lots to do.
We need to constantly be prioritising our work, and life.
It's not always easy to decide what to do, we often won't have all of the information we need to make a clear obvious decision, and we may worry we're going to make a mistake - and prioritise the wrong thing.
A question I always ask, and ask my teams to ask, when prioritising and decision making is this:
“If we do this, what are we saying no to?”
- If we implement this new piece of architectural enhancement, what are we saying no to?
- If we automate this piece of the process, what are we saying no to?
- If we hire for this role, what role are we saying no to?
- If we direct energy and attention on this new feature, what are we saying no to?
The list goes on.
This question works in your own life too. I’ve already spoken (and done a video) about The Pillars of Life. This question works there too.
- If I take this job, what am I saying no to?
- If I do this work, what am I saying no to?
- If I spend time at work, what am I saying no to? (Family?)
- If I take this job with great prospects, but with a demanding work pattern, what am I saying no to?
- If I learn this new skill right now, what am I saying no to?
- If I start my own business, what am I saying no to?
- If I start this new fitness routine, what am I saying no to?
We cannot possibly achieve everything we want to in work and life.
We cannot possibly solve every problem, learn every new skill, overcome every single obstacle, meet every single person, spend time doing everything we want, etc.
What do we need to say No to?
By thinking through what you’re saying "No" to, we have the chance to think about the options, the consequences, the alternatives.
By simply trying to do everything, we will come undone.
Yet in business I see it every week and month. Companies who are trying to do everything at once. Managers who are taking on too much. People who are overworked and taking time away from their families.
It’s about tension. It's about trade-offs. It's about making the best decision we can, with the information we have - and being conscious about what we are going to say "No" to.
Balancing the tension in our own lives needs care, attention, evidence and thought to.
We’re all in different seasons of life, with different opportunities, needs, desires, motivations and privileges. It’s not always easy to answer these priorotisation questions.
But I can tell you this from personal experience, when we say yes to too many things, we come undone in the end.
When we say "yes" to one thing we are always saying "no" to something else. Bringing this process to the forefront and consciously acknowledging what we're saying "No" to is the key to prioritising our work and life.
It's too easy to keep adding more work to our teams, more stuff in our lives, more commitments, more this, more that. We have good intentions to get it all done - and we can't.
What are we saying "No" to when we say "Yes" to something is important to understand. If we're still sure we want to say "Yes" to one thing, and "No" to another - cool, crack on, focus, get it done, have no regrets.
It's ever so painful though when we don't realise what we're saying "No" to.
