As we tackle a fresh year, I would like to give you a gift.
You may think the best things in life are free, but I would argue that the best things are stolen.
This idea is stolen.
Don’t stress, stealing someone’s work is totally fine, right?
I work in radio where the Secret Sound and the No Repeat Workday have been going for 30 years.
Anyway, the credit for this little life hack belongs to Zoe Foster Blake.
Zoe is a mother, prolific author, beauty entrepreneur and wife of the Lego-loving Hamish Blake.
I learned this idea in listening to her podcasts recently.
You see, I read self-help books and listen to podcasts every day: how to lose weight, save money, be a better mother, turn up at work with a killer attitude, declutter my home … and the list goes on.
Perhaps I should stop the manic search to better myself, invest in some elasticised, oversized pants and Uber Eats-away my emotional issues.
No, I can’t do that, sorry.
Back to the Holy Grail of advice.
Zoe uses a scoring system when it comes to making decisions when people ask her to do something.
You rate something out of 10, based on how much you want to do it.
But here is the twist: you cannot score a seven.
A seven leaves you confused and unsure. A seven is beige. It is a little like gluten free pasta. No man’s land.
If an activity receives a score of six, it means you really don’t want to do it. But, if it is an eight, then you are in.
There is no seven.
Be honest with yourself and make it a six or eight.
The new system is working a treat for me.
I am saying no regularly, thanks to my internal scoring system.
Nachos in bed on Friday night with my family and dogs? I am a nine out of 10. Pass the sour cream.
A work function with no catering and an update on the new HR software? That’s a three, and I’m busy, sorry boss.
From now on, instead of trying to make everyone happy, I am just sticking to my scoring system.
If you are like me and struggle to say no to things, then I urge you to try it.
I rate it a solid 10 out of 10.
Sami Muirhead is a radio announcer, blogger and commentator. For more from Sami, tune into Mix FM.
