Mastering Time Management for Women: How to Ditch the Ditty

Time management for women often comes with unique challenges. Balancing professional ambitions, personal obligations, and social expectations can lead to burnout. Champlain College Professor Lindsey Godwin, co-author of Ditch the Ditty: Doing What Matters Instead of Doing It All, empowers women to take back control of their time by learning to say no to unnecessary tasks.

Ditch the Ditty was inspired by an anecdote from when two of the authors were busy running an event. The keynote speaker gave his ditty bag—a small canvas bag—to one of them as she worked. “Hold this, it has my life in it,” he said. Despite juggling many tasks, she still took the bag without any thanks afterward. From this, the women shared their experience with another colleague, and they each became empowered to share the times they had felt pressured into saying yes to menial tasks. From there, the three co-authored this book, which encourages women to combat the cycle of people-pleasing perfectionism.

So, how do we empower women to stop saying yes to these ditties? Godwin offers some advice.

What is a Ditty?

A “ditty” is an unwanted, unnecessary task or obligation that women often feel pressured to accept. These tasks, which range from small favors to extra work assignments, may not contribute to professional growth or personal fulfillment. Instead, they drain energy and time, making it harder to focus on meaningful goals.

“A ditty is an unwanted, unnecessary task, ask, or social obligation that we say yes to because we’re trying to people-please [and] make somebody else happy, or because we feel like we don’t want to let somebody down,” Godwin explained.

Ditties often disguise themselves in different ways. Ditch the Ditty categorizes them into four types:

• The Cape Crusader—Framed as an urgent request only you can handle.
• The Golden Ticket—Marketed as an opportunity that will unlock future success.
• The Hot Potato—A task no one else wants, so it lands in your hands.
• The Veiled Threat—Implies that saying no will have negative consequences.

Recognizing these disguises is the first step in taking back your time, Godwin explains: “There’s usually one [disguise] that’s louder than the other one for us because we often end up saying yes without thinking. We don’t pause… so we’ll pick up a ditty and then we’ll realize… this was something I didn’t want or need to do.”

The Power of Saying No

One of the biggest hurdles in time management for women is the difficulty of saying no. Societal expectations often pressure women into being agreeable, making it challenging to turn down requests without guilt.

With these pressures, sometimes we forget that we have a choice. “I don’t like saying no. It’s another thing we talk about in the book, especially as women. It’s hard for us to say no because we’re afraid someone’s not going to like us, they’re going to be mad at us, or they’re never going to ask us to do something again,” Godwin shared.

The key to overcoming this challenge is remembering that you always have a choice. Godwin recalls a time she was offered a leadership role that she ultimately declined: “I ditched it because it was something I did not want, I did not need. It was going to take away from my other work. And you know what? The world kept turning.”

Practical Strategies for Time Management

Let’s put Godwin’s advice into practice. To take control of your time, consider these strategies:

• Pause Before Saying Yes—Give yourself time to evaluate whether a request aligns with your goals.
• Set Boundaries—Clearly communicate what you can and cannot take on.
• Delegate When Possible—Not everything needs to be done by you.
• Practice Saying No—A simple “No, I can’t take that on right now” is enough.

Who Should Read Ditch the Ditty?

“This book is for every woman,” Godwin says. “From my 15-year-old daughter to retired professionals, everyone has found value in it.”

Ditch the Ditty explores how societal messaging conditions women to prioritize others’ needs over their own, making time management a struggle. The book equips readers with the tools to break free from this cycle and focus on what truly matters.

Since its release, Ditch the Ditty has become a #1 New Release in Women’s Studies on Amazon and was featured on Inc. The authors are now expanding their work with workshops and workbooks to help more women reclaim their time.

Time management for women starts with awareness and the confidence to say no. Ditch the Ditty offers a roadmap to help women prioritize what matters most.