This post has been sponsored by ZonePerfect. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve read a lot of stuff about making 2017 the year of saying ‘No.’ This article put it best when it said that saying yes to everything is “the disease to please.” I’ve fallen prone to this in the past. Taking on projects, agreeing to do things, volunteering for events or offering up my help only to find I’m too stressed and overcommitted to want to help. Then I try to come up with an excuse, which only ends up making me feel guilty and the other person feeling let down. It’s not a lot of fun.

I’m already late and rushed to the things I want to do so it’s the worst when I’m feeling rushed and behind because of things that I’m just not jazzed about.

Obviously, with 9 to 5 obligations I end up having things on the calendar that aren’t the most exciting, but in general moving forward, I’m trying to be more selective about what I say yes to. I think it’s much easier to be honest with people and say no to things that are unnecessary, unrelated or that I’m just unable to do than to commit and try to finagle a way out later. I think the biggest challenge is saying no in an honest way up front. Personally, I’d much rather someone just be honest with me, be respectful of my time and then move on. I totally get it when people say no and I’d much rather hear it up front than in a text fifteen minutes before we’re set to get together.

The main reason I’m trying to embrace the NO is because with all these kids and work, I’m already stuck running around none stop so I want to make more time for the things I want to do. I want to be able to grab drinks at the last minute with a great friend instead of going to some boring networking event that I was guilted into RSVP’ing yes to.

ECRU Leather Sleeved Jacket from Well Heeled (can’t find it online; super similar here)
Banana Republic Ripped Denim | Nike Thea Sneakers 
Frank & Eileen High Low Button Down from Well Heeled

So this year, I’m taking a few steps to make much better use of my time.

1. No Meeting Mondays – Mondays are my most productive day of the week. I find some kind of sick pleasure in being able to make a giant to-do list and start working my way through it, with no interruptions or reasons I need to break up a productive streak. So my plan is to start blocking out Mondays on my calendar as my Get Shit Done Day.If someone just must meet, then it’s going to have to be on a call since it limits the travel time that can be such a killer when it comes to meetings.
2. Workouts Get Scheduled Like Meetings – I love working out. I mean, I usually hate it while I’m in the middle of it but I always feel better after a good workout. And while I do a lot of running at home (thank god for our treadmill), my main form of exercise is through group classes. And here’s the thing about those classes, you have to pay if you cancel at the last minute.In the past, I’ve just eaten the cost when things have come up. I’ve late canceled and dealt with the double whammy of being pissed that I missed the class and being hit with the charges. To alleviate that, I’ve tried to work out in the mornings but sometimes that’s just not in the cards so for any evening/afternoon workouts, I’m planning on treating them like actual meetings that I must attend.

3. Packing my Lunch – Okay, so this probably sounds like a weird one but I waste SO much time going out and grabbing lunch. There’s the whole discussion of where to go, when the act of rounding up everyone to go and then actually going and eating. Something that should be so simple, ends up taking three times as long as it should.

So my goal for the new year is to start packing my lunch and snacks. For one thing, it’s way healthier and even better, it saves a ton of money. I’ve been doing more meal planning and trying to keep better track of what I’m eating. Basically, I’m really trying to get back in pre-baby shape (still have a little bit to go) and I feel like eating is the last hurdle. So I’ve started making my lunches the night before and have added in little treats like these ZonePerfect bars to take the place of my normal 2:30 candy break.

This Dark Chocolate Almond one is my FAVE – so delicious plus there’s no sugar rush and crash or the guilt of staring at a pile of candy wrappers. It’s also got 10g of protein and since I’m usually having one of these on my to a workout, it’s a double bonus. I stockpile them when I’m on one of those total time-wasters, a trip to Target. But see, that’s a time waster that I WANT to do.

I’m also planning on trying to be more mindful of the no’s. It’s kind of like rewarding yourself with a delicious dessert after a week of avoiding sugar. I think instead of an ice cream sundae, you get a chance to chill on the couch and watch whatever you want on TV. And if that’s the reward, you know I am working towards it.

Thanks so much to ZonePerfect for sponsoring this post.