<ul><li>Instead of saying “no” to your boss or family member, try schedule-syncing.</li><li>Make sure you block your calendar for meetings and specific work. Sync this calendar with your boss or family member.</li><li>Make sure you have time sheet to report on what you’re doing during your working hours.</li><li>After this, if someone gives you work, ask politely: “When?”</li></ul>

Instead of Saying “No,” Ask “When?”

<ul><li>First ask yourself: Which end is your job skewed - Schedule Making or Taking?</li><li>Are you burned out and troubled with frayed nerves and broken relationships because you’re overwhelmed with work?</li><li>Doesn’t your manager have any idea of how much work you’re doing because you’re managing your own time?</li><li>Learn to ask the right questions to yourself and to the one who gives you work. </li></ul>

Questions to manage your schedule 

<ul><li>Usually, all productivity advice says: “Say NO often, make time for other things.”</li><li>This sounds smart but isn’t always practical</li><li>Eg: You can’t always say NO to your boss. You can’t always say NO to your partner in doing household chores.</li><li>What to do instead? : Learn to ask a better question.</li></ul>

“Just Say No” Is Bad Productivity Advice

<ul><li>Schedule Takers have less decisions to make since they are paid for their time. If you put in an hour of work, you’ll be paid accordingly.</li><li>Schedule Makers have to decide what to work on, when and how. They apparently have more flexibility but since their managers don’t know how they are managing their time, they are often over-burdened.</li><li>If you do the right things, you can save yourself from this.</li></ul>

Schedule makers have more trouble..

<ul><li>There are two kinds of workers: Schedule Makers and Schedule Takers</li><li>Schedule Makers make their schedule. They have flexibility of time so long as they get the work done. Eg: most white collar jobs- engineers, designers</li><li>Schedule Takers have their schedule made by someone else. They are paid hourly and don’t have control over their hours. Eg: blue collar jobs</li><li>Most jobs are a combination of Schedule Makers and Takers.</li></ul>

Figure Out What Kind of Worker You Are

Saying no to tasks and interruptions isn’t always possible, whether they come from your spouse or manager. Here’s a better way to stay productive.

“Just Say No” Is Bad Productivity Advice

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Don't Ask People For Advice

8. Learn to say “no”

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