Just Don't Do it!

Whether you're struggling to get off your backside and into the gym, or are just wanting to increase your productivity at work, Nike knows what to do.

'Just do it!'

It's so easy to spend your life thinking about what you want to do, rather than doing it. Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow? There's a slogan for every person in the world who's ever wished they could achieve more.

In this article, I suggest that sometimes it's harder to say 'Just don't do it!'

As you progress your career in academia, the workload increases disproportionately to the pay. Perhaps the opposite of a real estate agent, you could say. With increasing responsibility comes the pressures of students, marking, grant writing, and lectures.

2 points of note:

1. Not everything is compulsory.
2. There's only so much time in the day.

If you say 'yes' to every request asked of you, you won't achieve anything for yourself.

This situation is becoming increasingly common as my PhD progresses. Extra tutoring, extra marking, extra work outside of uni hours.

This week I want to say 'no'. But how?

I spoke to my boss who employs me in my sh!tty part-time job. 'I'd like to stop working during the week, thanks.' He agreed graciously.

I contacted my gym and asked to quit my membership. They offered me a massively discounted rate. I quit anyway.

It's simple: Just don't do it!

Disclaimer: the author presents a 'select few' examples.