For the time that is ours to share, I want to talk about why it’s important to say “no” more often and how to do it, in a nice way. On many occasions, not knowing how to say no can be one of the greatest enemies of your time. This happens to all of us and as we continually put other people’s happiness, want’s and needs before ours. Putting the satisfaction of other people above yours is admirable if you do it on purpose and for the right reasons. However, it’s not a good idea when you stop living your life to please others people.
Now the big question is this, why do people do this? There are a few reasons, why this happens:
(1). They want to be helpful.
(2). They fear rejection.
(3). To show respect toward others.
(4). They fear and/or just don't like confrontation.
(5). They have sense of guilt when saying no.
(6). They fear losing out on future opportunities.
How can you handle these situations:
(1). You must be clear about your commitments, know yourself and act with integrity. Put your priorities, projects, and personal interests above anything else. If what they propose to you has nothing to do with them, just say no to it.
(2). Value your time. Saying no to something allows you to say yes to a ton of other things that you really care about and need to do. If you show others that you value your work, your time, and your priorities, contrary to what you think, they will respect you more for it. If you accept everything you are asked, you are not yourself, you do not evolve as a person, you do not improve. If after saying no, your relationship with that person ends, it wasn’t a sincere relationship anyway.
(3). Don’t make up excuses. If you do, the situation will be repeated constantly. You don’t even have to give explanations. You are the owner of your time. Before accepting something, think about the implications. How much time will you need? How will it affect your professional, personal, and family life? What will be the cost? What other projects are you going to have to sacrifice?
TAKEAWAY: Learn to be assertive, to value your life, and always look for relationships with good fundamentals. Learning how to say no is a great favor you can do to yourself. You’ll reduce your work overload and your level of stress, and you’ll have time to do what really matters to you. And the best way to learn how to say no is to practice so, go ahead, don’t be shy!