Everyone is busy, and we all take on too much stuff. It’s just the way society has evolved. We look up to the people who are always busy, running from meeting to meeting, taking on additional tasks, always finding time to help others out, yet still hitting all their deadlines. I hate those people. Not because they make the rest of us look bad (they don’t) but because they make the rest of us think that’s the norm (it’s not).

Nowhere does it say you have to do more than you initially promised. As a matter of fact, living up to your end of the bargain is the quintessential social contract. I say I’ll do this by this time in exchange for this, and voilá, the world continues to turn, and humanity marches forward into a bright future of shared progress.

Except for these other people for whom that’s not enough. No, they have to go above and beyond. And for what? To sleep less? To make a dollar more? So what?

Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t put in the effort, nor would I ever defend doing anything less than the best possible job you are capable of. All I’m saying is that there are other things in life beyond the extra mile. Or maybe more accurately, when you are always chasing that extra mile, you’d be surprised by all the interesting things you pass up along the way.

We have become allergic to the word “no.” As if every request is more important than the maintenance of our own sanity. Well, to that, I offer up a robust and resounding “Hell no!” Reclaim your time, and you just might be surprised by how few ramifications there are for not taking on that extra task. Because, after all, the odds that someone else will wind up doing it for you are pretty good.