You've probably heard this before: If you want to get noticed at work and have the opportunities to move ahead, then volunteer for the tasks that no one else wants to do. Say "yes" to creating the end-of-week aggregated sales report. Say "yes" to planning the next off-site team-building day. Say "yes" to hosting the vendor for dinner who's coming from out of town.

But wait . . . be careful about saying "yes" too often, says sales expert Anthony Iannarino. We explain what he means in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

According to Iannarino, when you say "yes" to small things, you are saying "no" to your biggest priorities.

When you say "yes" to the tasks that aren't really your work, you are saying "no" to more purposeful, more meaningful work. Saying "yes" to the inbox almost always means saying "no" to the work that produces the outcomes you need. Saying "yes" to cleaning your desk means saying "no" to spending that time with your clients or dream clients. Saying yes to planning the team-building day might mean saying "no" to the strategy you are supposed to be developing.

In your personal world, saying "yes" to television or Facebook means saying "no" to spending time developing yourself both personally and professionally. Saying "yes" to distraction and escapism is a "no" to improving the single asset you own free and clear, and the source of all your results.

Without a solid set of priorities, a set of tasks that needs to be completed each day to move you closer to your goals—and time blocked to complete them, it is easy to drift. If you value your exceedingly limited time, you will protect it. If you want to accomplish your goals, reach your full potential and make a difference, then you will say "no" to the countless small things to protect your time for the things to which you need to say "yes."

As Steve Jobs said, "Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things." If you say "yes," make sure you aren't saying "no" to something more important.

Source: S. Anthony Iannarino is an international speaker, author, sales leader and founder of The Sales Blog, which includes daily tips and insights.