If you’ve made any resolutions in the vein of getting more done in 2019, don’t skip what could be the world’s best productivity hack: saying no. We all have obligations that are just part of school, work, or life, things we don’t have the option of turning away. But just about everything else is a choice. Do you need to attend that standing meeting every Tuesday? Do you need to meet with that tutor for the course you’re already earning a solid B in? Do you need to do yet another round of test prep in the hopes of eking out another 50 points?
Your answer to any or all of those scenarios might well be yes. But it’s important to ask the question, and to remember that the surest way to get more done is to have less to do.