Planners say "no" for you

We tend to say yes or no based on our apparent availability rather than on the importance of the task. Some of us are used to saying yes; it is almost an involuntary reaction when we see that our planning calendar is free on the day in question.

The point is that our planning calendar should not reveal a lot of free time. That is why we refer to this important time management tool as a planner, not a calendar. Included in it should be our plan for the week. Important tasks should never be relegated to a “To Do” list; they should be scheduled at specific times in your planner.

When asked to do something, a glance at your planner will tell you that the time has already been spoken for. And unless the new request is even more important than the scheduled task, you would be compelled to say no.

“To Do” lists encourage “yes” because there is unlimited space for those requests. Scheduled activities in your planner encourage “no” since it reveals that your discretionary time has already been committed to other things.