Making your business work for you is going to fundamentally change your relationship with your business for the better, but how in the world do you keep yourself from being held hostage by all of your commitments?

Here’s one way: stop saying “yes” to things you shouldn’t say “yes” to.

Instead of instantly agreeing to take on another exciting new opportunity when it walks up to you during a networking event or taps you on the shoulder at the grocery store, adopt a “no now, yes later” approach. 

You can always say “no” in real time if you KNOW an opportunity isn’t a good fit, but a “yes” requires more due diligence. 

All you have to say is, “This sounds really interesting. Let me check in with my current commitments and see what I can do. I’ll get back to you tomorrow.”

Once you are in a position to give the opportunity some thoughtful consideration, there are two tests it should pass before you say “yes.”

1. Does it align with your priorities?
2. Is there room on your calendar and to-do list?

If it doesn’t align with your priorities, it’s dead on arrival. Time to reply with, “Unfortunately I can’t make this work…”

The same applies to a priority-aligned opportunity to which you can’t find a way to allocate time.

If it aligns with your priorities AND you feel comfortable with the necessary investment of time, energy, and focus, you can parse the opportunity further to confirm your interest, but you are on the path to a “yes!”

(Notice that I said you should “feel comfortable” adding this to your calendar, not that you can find a way to cram it into your calendar like 10 pounds of sugar in a 5 pound sack. The goal is to not hate yourself later.)

If you are ready to get serious about de-escalating the chaos in your profitable small business so that you can kick overwhelm in the teeth, check out my Make Your Business Work For You Mastermind that kicks off on April 10th. 

You, and a small cohort of profitable owners, will spend 12-weeks fundamentally redefining your relationship with your business and developing the processes and documentation necessary to start delegating more effectively. Join now at http://geoffwelch.com/mastermind.