Day 1 Saying no #blog12daysxmas

Is the inability to say 'no' a strength or a weakness?  I've often wondered about this and I guess an argument can be made for both sides. 

Saying no is something I find very hard to do and something I also very rarely do.  It means that I can often be so swamped with work and deadlines that I wonder how I will ever get through it all.  I guess there is truth in the saying that if you want something done, ask a busy person! :)

This year I started a new role and for the first time since I started full time work, I have no days/afternoons/mornings off.  The impact on this has been huge, as it meant time I used to have to catch up with other commitments and personal obligations vanished.  This year my commitment to Victoria University finished (which is good given the new job), but my sessional work with Curtin University and Charles Sturt University did continue. Interestingly, the more I have to do, the easier I find it to procrastinate....

The end of the academic year did not mean I had a 'break' as I was asked to do some tutoring for 2 summer subjects at CSU; Library Services to Children and Youth and The Digital Environment.  In an effort to minimise my commitments, I only took on a little marking and had others help with this.  So far so good.  I was then contacted by another lecturer to mark for a different unit, Marketing of Libraries and Information Agencies.   I was very proud of myself for saying that I had already committed myself and would be unable to take on any more for this session.  Yes! I actually said no to something!

Then fate intervened. The lecturer I am tutoring for had a serious fall and hurt herself quite badly.  I subsequently agreed to take on marking another subject, Engaging with the Information Professions, as well as doing forum moderating more frequently while she recovers.  The first assessment for each subject is one week apart, with the first being due last Monday.

So, was I successful in saying no? Or was I a failure??  It depends on how you look at it :)