The Power of “Not Right Now”
Here’s a question:
How many things are currently sitting in the back of your mind that you feel like you should be doing?
Not necessarily today.
Not necessarily this week.
But they’re there.
That idea you want to explore. The person you need to call. The process you want to improve. The professional organization you should become more involved with. The article you want to read. The project you haven’t quite gotten to.
Individually, they may be small.
Collectively, they become mental clutter.
And for many high-performing professionals, there’s another problem:
We’re really bad at saying no.
But It Doesn’t Have to Be Yes or No
Someone asks you to participate on a committee.
It’s a great opportunity.
But you’re already overloaded.
Someone suggests a new initiative.
It’s a good idea.
But your team is trying to finish three other priorities.
Your instinct may be to say yes because you don’t want to disappoint someone—or lose the opportunity.
There’s another answer:
Not right now.
That’s not the same as no.
It’s a decision about timing and capacity.
Create a “Not Right Now” List
Most of us have a to-do list.
Try creating another one:
THE NOT RIGHT NOW LIST
Put worthwhile things there that don’t deserve your attention today.
Projects you’d like to pursue.
Ideas worth revisiting.
Professional opportunities.
Process improvements.
People you want to reconnect with.
Things you’d like to learn.
Instead of allowing those thoughts to continuously compete for your attention, give them somewhere to live.
Then review the list once a week—or even once a month.
Ask:
Is this important now?
Do I realistically have capacity for it?
Does someone else need to own it?
Does this still need to happen at all?
That last question is important.
Sometimes something that felt incredibly important three weeks ago isn’t important anymore.
Be Careful With the “Quick Favor”
Burnout doesn’t always come from one enormous responsibility.
Sometimes it comes from 50 little ones.
“Can you take a quick look at this?”
“Could you sit in on this meeting?”
“Can I pick your brain?”
“Could you help with this one thing?”
Individually, they’re reasonable.
Collectively, they can consume your week.
Before automatically saying yes, try:
“Let me look at my commitments and get back to you.”
That small pause gives you an opportunity to make a decision instead of giving an automatic answer.
Leaders Need a “Not Right Now” List Too
Organizations can suffer from the same problem.
We keep adding.
New programs. New reports. New meetings. New initiatives. New technology. New processes.
But how often do we intentionally stop something?
Before adding another priority to your team, ask:
What are we willing to remove to make room for this?
If the answer is nothing, then we’re not actually changing priorities.
We’re just adding workload.
Try This Today
Look at your current to-do list.
Move three things to a Not Right Now List.
Don’t delete them.
Don’t feel guilty about them.
Just decide that they don’t deserve your capacity today.
Then give your attention to what does.
Because protecting yourself from burnout isn’t always about learning how to accomplish more.
Sometimes it’s learning to become comfortable with the words:
Not right now.
