Your Time Isn't A Buffet

In this episode, we tackle the all-too-familiar “buffet” approach to time—why piling your schedule high with every request isn’t sustainable, and how to protect your energy for what really matters. The host shares practical strategies for setting boundaries, having trade-off conversations, and making your time more impactful—especially for women leaders prone to overcommitting. [00:01:02] – Connecting the buffet analogy to overstuffed workloads at work [00:01:46] – Why September is a peak "just a quick thing" season and prime time for overcommitment [00:02:36] – The challenge of boundaries, especially for women, and reframing them as necessary for impact [00:03:03] – Every yes is a no to something else; protecting your time is protecting your leadership [00:03:55] – Practical tool: Trading instead of saying a flat "no" (“Yes, if…” responses) [00:04:23] – Practical tool: Time boxing (“I can give you 15 minutes to scope this…”) [00:05:52] – Practical tool: The "parking bay" (capturing ideas/requests without committing now) [00:06:32] – Script examples you can use this week to help with boundaries [00:07:26] – Flipping the decision back to the requester to clarify priorities [00:08:27] – Ask yourself: “Where am I leaking 10% of my week?” and being tight on the quick favours [00:08:54] – Practice the tools suggested and notice the space created Remember: “Your time isn’t a buffet. You don’t have to pile your plate to prove your worth.” Thank you for listening! Protect your plate and focus on what truly moves the needle. Connect with Ruth: Instagram LinkedIn Website