Man Up and Just Say No
July 13, 2011, By Kasie Baltes 0 comments
Nothing irks me more than saying yes to something I don’t want to do. I have a problem saying no to people. Call me a coward, but the combination of guilt and obligation force me to say yes to tasks and events that end up making me miserable. I have a closet full of regrets of things I got guilted into buying, but it’s time to put my foot down and start saying no.
We’ve all been there, whether you end up buying 50 candy bars that you’re allergic to from the six-year-old next door or eating tea cookies at the PTA social gathering—guilt can get the best of us. Life is too short to spend your life saying yes to things you don’t want to do, and your friends and colleagues will respect you more if you can start to work “no” into your life. Here are five tips that helped me say no, and got me back on the road to doing things I want to say yes to.
1. Think Before Answering
People love to ask you to do something at the last minute. You could be walking out the door or about to hang up the phone when you receive the request of doom. Tell that person you need more time to think about it and that you will get back to them with an answer. This way, you will have more time to decide if it is something you want to do or you would rather skip out on. If it’s something you would dread doing, call the person back and tell them you regrettably cannot attend the event and look forward to helping out in the future.
2. Prioritize and Be Honest
There aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything. If adding another task to the list will completely send you over the edge, prioritize what you are doing in your life and decline the request. Sure, building the set to the third grade’s rendition of “Seussical the Musical” sounds “rewarding”—but do you really have the time? Be honest with the person and say you have other priorities and would not be able to devote enough time to it.
NEXT: Don’t Apologize
