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Consider these statements to assist your goal of being productive.
Being a successful teacher means being optimally productive. Certain statements and phrases are worth remembering in your quest to be more productive. This short article includes some that you might want to print and have handy to try out.
- 'No, but thanks for asking.' It's cordial, responsive, and it says 'no.'
- 'Not now.' If you're working toward teaching effectiveness and school improvement, then you may have to say "not now" to many different things--because you need to say "yes, now" to lots of other commitments and projects. Not now doesn't mean 'no' forever--just for now.
- 'Let me get back to you after I've checked on a few things.' Consider making this one of your policies, i.e., don't agree to anything right away. Tell people you will get back to them after you've checked on some things (such as your calendar, your other commitments, and other people who might be affected).
- 'I am busy right now, but let's schedule a time to meet or to talk by phone.' It's great to be planful rather than responding to whatever is right in front of your face.
- 'Let me verify some details with you about this project, request, or meeting.' Sometimes, we need more information. We 'check for understanding' with our students--we need to check our own understanding, too.
- 'I want to clarify my conditions, parameters, and/or constraints, so that we are both in agreement.' You must be clear and you need to help others be clear, as well.
- 'I am not the right person for this, and here is a suggestion of who might be.' You are still being helpful, which is usually what people want. They don't necessarily need YOU, but they need someone. By using this statement, you're sending them to the best person.
- 'I cannot agree to the whole task, but I can agree to take on one part.' This statement can save you from overcommiting, while still being courteous and helpful.
- 'No, I simply can't say 'Yes'.' This is a great one because it takes the listener a moment to "get it." It may give you time to move away before the person asks again...
- 'I can easily say 'Yes' to this because I know exactly what it entails.' You want to be saying "Yes" to those tasks, responsibilities, and commitments that make sense to...and you can be so happy when you use this statement. It means you have thought it through and are being deliberate and strategic about what you commit to.
Say one or more of these in the next day or so and see what happens. Be clear on your intent to be more productive.
If you need a reminder on these, just print out this page and display it somewhere so you can see it when you need it. Someday, these phrases and statements may be second nature, but until they are....
Keep moving forward on your goals for more peaceful productivity in the professoriate. Join colleagues (worldwide) who receive Meggin's weekly emails (and see what is available for download at no cost at the following websites):
**Top Ten Productivity Tips
**Keys to Keeping Chaos at Bay
**From the Desk of Meggin McIntosh
(c) 2008 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., "The Ph. D. of Productivity"(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh changes what people know, feel, dream, and do. Sound interesting? It is!
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