The art of saying no

Trappist monk and author Thomas Merton states, "The rush and pressure of modern life are a form of violence. To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything, is to succumb to violence. The frenzy neutralizes our work for peace. It destroys our own inner capacity for peace because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful."

Business consultant and author Matthew Kelly suggests that energy management, not time management, is the key to a fruitful professional life. He recommends the following questions to assess our current energy levels:

Who are the people that energize you?

Who drains your energy?

What places energize you?

Which places drain your energy?

What things energize you?

Which things drain your energy?

What activities energize you?

Which activities drain you of energy?

"Being familiar with the people, places, things, and activities that energize you, and those that drain you, is critical to managing your energy. Otherwise you might schedule five people who drain your energy for back-to-back meetings on a Monday morning. The result will be that by the middle of the day on Monday you are drained of energy, which will set the tone for your whole week."

For reflection alone or together:

Consider the questions above in light of the past week. 

Are there people, places, things, and activities you need to say no to? 

Are there people, places, things, and activities you need to say yes to?