“I don’t have time.”
If you had to be honest, how often would you say that phrase comes out of your mouth (or pops into your head?) Weekly? Daily? Multiple times a day?
Four simple words, and yet, these often dictate our day-to-day schedules. Our “can’s” and “cannot’s.”
I know I don’t have to tell you just how busy life can become. We’ve all lived that. Our schedules fill with commitments and our brains are packed with mental to-do lists.
When you find yourself in an especially busy season of life, it can be difficult to even imagine taking on anything new. The idea of saying “yes” to one more thing can be downright overwhelming.
And so we say “no.” No to anything that isn’t considered 100% completely necessary.
There is some wisdom in this. I would be the first to tell you that boundaries are important and being able to give a confident “no” to things that will leave us feeling further drained or overcommitted is healthy and important.
HOWEVER…
Sometimes in these extra busy seasons of life, “no” becomes our autopilot answer to any new commitment, big or small. We stop truly discerning each new opportunity as they come, and instead offer our default response:
“I can’t. I’m just too busy.”
Does this resonate with you?
In these moments, saying “no” has become more of a force of habit rather than an intentional, deliberate decision.
This is a dangerous habit to get into.
Just as it isn’t healthy to say “yes” to everything, it’s equally problematic to say “no” to everything. In doing so, we inevitably turn down the opportunity to do things that would actually be GOOD or restorative for us!
For many of us, it’s the pleasurable or fun activities that we are quick to deny ourselves in the name of productivity and efficiency. For example, it’s the:
- Coffee dates with friends
- Reading a fiction book, just for fun
- Hiking with your spouse
- Massage at the local spa…
These are the things we simply cannot spare the time for. After all, there are more productive ways to spend our time, right?
Sure, maybe. BUT – productivity isn’t everything. Taking time to say “YES” to activities just because they bring you rest or pleasure is part of living a well-balanced life.
As part of our “Summer Break for Leaders” series, we’d like to invite you to take a break from “not having enough time” and give yourself permission to say YES.
Do you your best to resist the “I can’t because…” thoughts and say YES to:
- Reading a book just for fun, not for personal development
- Taking time off for a trip (link back to the previous post)
- The dinner with friends you keep rescheduling
- Taking the piano lessons you’ve always wanted to take
It doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated. It doesn’t need to be expensive or time-consuming. Simply choose ONE “just for you” activity that you can say “yes” to this week. If you feel inclined, drop a comment below and let us know what you choose!
To stay in the loop with our full “Summer Break” content – click HERE to join our community today!
Article was contributed by: Maria Lees, Team Writer with Sarah Boxx
