To free up more time in your life, writer Caroline Sylge proposes a creative idea: Give yourself a "say no" retreat. It's a day to look at your calendar and thoughtfully decline obligations in the next few weeks and months. Juan Moyano/ Moment RF/ Getty Images hide caption

Juan Moyano/ Moment RF/ Getty Images

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How is your to-do list looking for the next few weeks? If it's already full of obligations and tasks you've been dreading, and ramping up toward the holidays, you might need a "say no" retreat.

That's one of dozens of creative ideas in Caroline Sylge's book, How to Retreat: A Guide to Stepping Away from the Everyday to Find Space for Yourself , published this spring.

A "say no" retreat is a day to brainstorm all the things you want to say no to in your life in the coming weeks and months, she says.…