Every day we make decisions; some are major ones, such as buying a car, changing jobs, or ending a relationship. Other decisions are small – should I eat the doughnut or the salad or what outfit should I wear to work?
In making a decision, essentially you are saying yes to one option and no to another. At work, you are faced with making decisions daily in getting that work done. Think about it; your job requires you to get specific tasks accomplished that fall under your responsibilities – do you dive in and get them done or do you put them off and get to them later? If so, then you’ve said no to the work and yes to something else.
While some options are essential, such as putting off the work to take care of a customer or to attend a mandatory meeting, you might be procrastinating or find that boredom has set in leading to a delay in getting the job done. You can find yourself frustrated that you’re behind or that you feel disengaged and dissatisfied somehow.
It’s being in a state of conscious awareness as to when you are saying no that could have an impact on the work you do and your future career path. Saying no is not always in our higher state of mind as we move through the business of the day; we put off work, i.e. go to a more appealing task, talk to a coworker, take breaks, or check Facebook or email. For some reason, you are saying no to the work that needs done while saying yes to an easier activity to relieve whatever is lying underneath.
How do you become more aware? The easiest way is to pay attention to any and all decisions you are making during the day; note the task, the time of day, your mood/emotion around that task, and how you feel about performing the task. Another part of this is to write out the perceived benefit and the outcome you believe will occur from that task, whether positive or negative. Every time you do something, ask yourself: ‘What am I saying No to?’ and ‘What am I saying Yes to?” Thinking about what you are saying yes and no to can help you to see if you should move forward on your decision as well as seeing things in a different way, which could help you to see how you are affecting your life and the way it’s playing out.
You won’t question why things are happening to you since you will be acutely aware of your part in any decision you make. This will have a huge impact on the direction you take, no matter in your job or other areas of your life. So begin today to have ‘eyes open’ on your Yes/No decisions so you will be more in control of the outcomes in all areas of your life.
If you’d like help with the direction of your career/life, contact us today for a Complementary Discovery Session to get started: http://www.cyscoaching.com
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