“Your lack of planning is not my emergency.”
How many times has someone come to you with a last minute disaster. “Can you stay at my booth? I forgot to get plates for the pizza?” “Can you pick me up? I forgot the train doesn’t run today.”
These requests weigh on our consciousness. On one hand we want to be generous people. On the other, we are busy and planned to go to the gym before we got a frantic phone call. Both are valid concerns. As someone who often feels obliged to take these requests, I found the above quote a helpful new take.
I just heard the quip on Good Life Project’s interview with Gretchen Rubin and I think it’s worth sharing in case anyone else is in the same boat. Other people’s requests are not orders and just because they didn’t plan ahead doesn’t mean you need to drop everything to save the day. I’m not saying to throw out generosity, but just recognize when something has turned from a nice-to-have into an obligation that weighs you down.
Don’t be afraid to lend a helping hand, but don’t be afraid to say “no” when you need a breather.