School leaders will never have an easy job, especially those who sit in the principal's chair. Yet identifying site needs, establishing priorities, and devoting the bulk of one's time to these priorities enables principals to more effectively take control of their day. It can be hard to deal with what is important instead of what is urgent, but ultimately, students prosper when the principal is able to focus the majority of his or her time and attention on learning. As leaders look for things to let go of in the midst of endless mandates and added responsibilities, they should to ask themselves, "What is the worst possible outcome if I do not do this and what is the best possible outcome if I do?" The answers may be surprising. With practice, even the greatest skeptics can find a duty or two to relinquish. In this article, the authors suggest some strategies that can help principals know when to say no--and say it diplomatically. This article includes a sidebar entitled "10 Tips for Preserving a Principal's Time," that can assist school leaders to become more results-oriented and preserve the unrecoverable asset of time.