The Ultimate Productivity Hack is Saying No

The ultimate productivity hack is saying no. Not engaging in an activity is invariably faster than doing it. This concept is akin to the programming adage, "there is no code faster than no code." The same principle applies to life; for instance, no meeting is quicker than not having a meeting.

We often agree to tasks we don't genuinely desire to undertake. Many meetings are unnecessary, and excessive code could be eliminated. We routinely consent to requests only to later feel overwhelmed by our commitments. It's crucial to evaluate the necessity of our tasks, as a simple "no" can be more productive than the most efficient work.

We tend to say yes to avoid appearing rude or unhelpful, especially to those we'll interact with again, like co-workers or family. While collaboration is essential, we must manage the balance between yes and no. Saying no retains the most valuable asset we have: our time. As Pedro Sorrentino said, "If you don't guard your time, people will steal it."

Saying no is a decision; saying yes is a responsibility. Yes implies a commitment to one option and a rejection of all others. Tim Harford noted, "Every time we say yes to a request, we are also saying no to anything else we might accomplish with the time."

Saying no is not just for the powerful but a strategy for success. Steve Jobs exemplified this by focusing on what's essential and rejecting the rest. Saying no doesn't mean avoiding all activities; it means focusing your yeses.

As you succeed, you must upgrade your "no's". The opportunity cost of time increases with success, necessitating a higher threshold for saying yes. Brent Beshore said, "Saying no is so powerful because it preserves the opportunity to say yes."

To improve at saying no, consider if you would agree to do something today. If not, think twice. This aligns with Derek Sivers' "Hell Yeah or No" method. Saying no is often easier than escaping commitments later. Elimination is a more useful skill than optimization, echoing Peter Drucker's sentiment that doing something unnecessary efficiently is still useless.

The original article: https://jamesclear.com/saying-no