If there is one thing which epitomizes modern life, it is that people are more busy nowadays than at any time in history. We seem to rush from one thing to the next without having the time to think. Or to breathe. Or at least so it seems.

The usual response to this problem is to try to find ways of fitting more in—of doing more in less time, or taking less time to do the things we need to do. This approach can sometimes work—after all if you improve the rate at which you work, you’ll certainly save time.

However this approach also has its limits. There are only 24 hours in a day, and at some point it becomes simply impossible to fit it all in, no matter how good we get at doing stuff or how good our time management is. When we get to that point, we need to look at things in a different way. Instead of trying to find ways of doing things faster, we should sit down and ask ourselves seriously: “Do I really need to do this?”

All too often we get so wound up in doing things that we forget why we’re doing them in the first place. Our lives become a sort of production line, with objects moving along them whether there’s anyone there to pick them off or not. In short, doing stuff becomes a habit—and we start to do it without thinking.

This is where taking two seconds really can save you hours. And this is especially true when the things are done for other people. This is where the powerful word of “No” comes into the equation. Start to say “No” a little more often and you’ll see whole periods of free time just appear out of nowhere. Even when you don’t have to say “No” to someone else, you can still say it to yourself. Once you have asked the question: “Do I really need to do this”, you’ll often find that the answer can easily be “No”.

Next time you find yourself rushed off your feet, try saying that magic word. Precede it with the question “Do I really need…” and then just say that word “No”. You’ll be amazed at how much time you’ll save, without even trying to do a thing faster than you did it before.

This article is an abridged version of one that can be found at http://www.inspirationinsights.com a website packed with information on motivation and time management

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