Photo by Shojol Islam on Unsplash
It’s always so tempting.
“This is the year! Whatever has been hard to make happen, this time I’ll commit for real.”
What if instead, this New Year’s Resolution were:
“I’m not going to try to do that thing that never works for me anyway. I’m going to let it go—and celebrate the freedom.”
In work terms, this might be:
“We’re going to end that project that seemed so great but never fulfilled its promise”
Or
“We’re going to stop having that meeting that feels flat and not useful”
Or
“We’re going to focus on what we’re doing and say no to anything new for at least six months”
Here are a few questions that can help you sort through what programs or processes might be ripe for pruning:
What feels stuck or underutilized?
What may no longer be meeting the need of the moment?
How do you know?
Whom should you ask for more insight?
Then ask whomever you need to ask, and make your choice. Be thoughtful—but don’t overthink it to the point where you become paralyzed. If you’ve still got doubts, say no in a way that could be reversed if it turns out to be the wrong choice.
And remember that it’s ok to feel good about saying no. For so many of us, “yes” or “how can we make this work?” are the defaults. From that place “no” may feel awkward—but the right no can also be an immense relief.
If that’s not enough, recall that saying no to something is always a yes to something else—something that’s been neglected, or done with minimal effort, or of value to expand to a different area or community. Don’t push for a way to fill the space—but watch for it.
Let the yes emerge from the no.