Just Say No!

I really need to practice what I preach. One of the major risks I take in doing this blog is I stand to be accused of being sanctimonious, of preaching in a righteous kind of way and, worst of all, not heeding my own advice.
Today I stand before you (or at least in your screen) a hypocrite. One of the things I always tell my wife when she is snowed under with work and commitments is simply to say "no" to requests for her service. She isn't a soft touch when asked for help but she gives too readily of her time even when she is flat out. She SHOULD just say no when things get busy. I keep telling her this but...to no avail. She is simply too generous but that's why I love her. Or at least part of the reason.
So how does this relate to me and my hypocracy? For the past month of so, we have zealously guarded a week of holiday time at the beach which starts this weekend. We have been deflecting requests for our participation in events, activities, work etc... to make sure that we get this time away. But today, at the last minute, I failed to say no to a client who wants my help next week! Why now, why didn't I just say no??? Arghhh...! I guess I am a soft touch too, for a client who needs my help.
So, despite my appalling lack of judgment today, my strong suggestion is that, when you need to, you simply say "no" to requests that are unreasonable, or take you away from things that are important to you. Make space in your life for your important priorities. I hope you are better at this than me! I don't want to sound like a negative person either, as its important to take on important tasks when asked, but make sure these make sense to you and are IMPORTANT to you before you break you vow and say yes.
So have a GREAT weekend, say no to those unnecessary tasks and enjoy!
Lucky Phil