Real Life Solutions

NO! It’s amazing how such a small word can carry such a mighty punch, isn’t it? Learning how to say no can be difficult, but it’s worth it for many reasons. By saying no you become more productive, reduce your stress levels and are more focused on the things you choose to say yes to.

The reason many people get in a situation where they are overwhelmed with work is because they feel guilty if the thought of telling someone no even crosses their mind. By taking on too many duties, just to appease your guilty feelings, you are hurting not only yourself, but those requesting your time as well.

If you truly can’t fit something into your schedule without burdening yourself beyond reason, it’s ok to say no. Keep your tasks and projects at a level that is manageable for you. If you become overloaded, make certain that you let people know that. Many times, they will understand and will gladly wait until you have the time to complete their request.

Here are a few ways you can politely let others know you are not available to help them. You don’t have to just tell them no and leave it at that.

- If the task is something you are interested in doing, but don’t have the time to commit at that moment, tell them that it is something you are definitely interested in, but you will need to review your schedule. This gives you time to decide if you can commit to the project or if you must turn it down.

- Resist the urge to immediately say yes by telling the person that you need to look at your schedule before you can commit to them. Let them know that you want to be sure their project is getting your undivided attention.

- You can also say something along the lines of “That sounds like a great idea, unfortunately, I don’t have time to help you with it at the moment. However, I do have time available on this date.”

- Make it very clear that you value their time so you are not comfortable taking on the project at this time. You won’t feel you’ve done your best due to the fact that your schedule is already full. Then offer them the next available time you do have open.

You can’t possibly be everything to everybody. The sooner you realize this, the less you will feel like you are being pulled in a hundred different directions. It’s time to face this fact: You have to say no sometimes.

In order to keep moving towards your ultimate goals you need to know when to say no and when to push things off your plate. It can be hard, but in the end you will be happier, gain more respect from those requesting your assistance and get more done in the long run.