“Shout, shout, let it all out. These are the things I can do without!”
— Tears for Fears
Want to improve your productivity? Increase your dignity? Have more “me” time? Enjoy better health?
Allow me to introduce you to a small word that will expand your possibilities and your horizons: NO.
Yep, though there are no conclusive behavioral study numbers to support this theory, I’d venture to say that by incorporating this empowering word more in your daily vocabulary, your productivity will increase by leaps and bounds!
I should know. As a recovering “people pleaser”, I now enjoy a better quality of life, a greater sense of purpose, more opps to cross things off my “to-do” list, and a groovy state of mind by using it and claiming my power.
Think about it. How many times during a day, week, month does a co-worker, cousin, or friend ask you to do something that is inconvenient, inconsiderate, or ill-timed?
More than you’d like, I bet. Sometimes it’s a slacker relative that wants you to write a “fictional” reference letter. Or the secretary that requests that you pick up her lunch, that’s twenty minutes in the opposite direction of your intended destination. Or a boss that believes that you have no rights to a personal life.
There’s a better way. Just say no!
REMEMBER—It’s not what you say, but how you say it that matters. Be direct, honest, compassionate and tactful in your decline. If possible, you might even want to offer alternative solutions to the person who has need of your help.
Contrary to popular opinion, saying no isn’t the same as being selfish; it’s about establishing boundaries. It’s about self preservation. It’s about balance.
A wise person once said it best, “you can’t give from an empty cup.”
“Just say no”.
Food for thought…
(Image courtesy of smlp.co.uk under a Creative Commons 2.0 Attribution generic license.)
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