Don’t Be Afraid to Say No
As you work on building in daily habits that will make you more successful, one of the skills you need to practice and habituate is saying no more. For the next month or so, start saying no to something at least once a week. The way to choose what to say no to is to check your goals, look at your schedule, and ask yourself what you really want.
If something leads you to reach your goals and fits your schedule, saying yes is fine, but if it does not provide any value to you or does not fit into your schedule right now, say no.
Danielle Delaney
If an action leads you to reach your goals and fits your schedule, saying yes is fine, but if it does not provide any value to you or does not fit into your schedule right now, say no.
Here are some reasons and ways that you can say no more often.
If You Already Know Say So
Sometimes you simply know that you don’t want to do something no matter what. Instead of putting people off or saying yes just to avoid the issue, start saying no right away.
Think About It
You don’t have to give people answers right away about anything. This can help you reduce the pressure on yourself to say yes to anything. Start making it a habit always to thinking about something before you give a definite response. For instance, don’t be afraid to be honest and say “Let me check my schedule. I’ll get back to you by 3 pm on Friday with my answer.” This way, they can wait patiently, and you can ensure that you want to say yes or no.
Always Check Your Schedule
Even if your first thought is that it’s something you want to do, you must always check your schedule before saying yes. You may be over booked already, and even if you’re going to say yes, you need to say no. Doing this will ward off burnout. Stretching yourself too thin is bad for you and everyone else that depends on you too.
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