Saying “No” Prevents Over-Commitments
One of the most important as well as the most difficult things to do is say ‘no’. It may bring on angry reactions but you have to learn how to say no when you must refuse something. It is quite common for people to take on more work than they can handle simply because they couldn’t refuse when the boss asked them. Not refusing extra tasks will only cause you stress and thus bring down your productivity. Avoid over-commitment by employing these five strategies to say no.
One of the best ways to say no is to keep your mind on the goals at hand. Ensuring that you are not short of time to achieve your goals and enjoy your family is essential to saying no. Convince yourself that your goals are equally important as the task you are being asked to do, and then simply say no. You will understand that your tasks require your attention, and the other task is utterly unimportant. It is perfectly alright to be selfish at times. Finding enough time to meet your personal goals is very essential to good mental health. Your personal time for your goals is just like any other task on your calendar, and taking time to complete any task is always a great idea. It may even be a good idea to block that time out on your calendar to serve as a visual reminder that your personal goals are as important as anything else on the schedule.
One more great way to say no and avoid over-commitment is to carefully examine your calendar when you are asked to take on another project. You must be aware when you have reached your saturation point. In case you have too much on the calendar, say so honestly. It is very important to let people know that you have many other responsibilities, and you are at a point where you cannot take on any more. If you choose this method, however, ensure that you understand that no one will blame you for already having too many things to do. Excuses are unnecessary when you really do not have any free time. It is not like you are saying you can never help with projects that person has to offer again, you are only refusing to help right now. Most people never understand of their own limits.
You can also avoid over-commitment by taking on only those projects that you are comfortable with. Having uncomfortable tasks to complete, or tasks that you think you are not qualified to do, only brings on stress. There are many reasons why you might feel uncomfortable with a project including the other people who are involved in it, the type of work that may be involved, any sticky moral situations that may occur, or the duration to complete the project. You may also feel unqualified to take on the task for a number of reasons including the fact that you are not skilled for it, you do not have the necessary experience, or the project simply seems too overwhelming for you to undertake. In case you feel like you will not be able to deliver quality work, whatever the reason, by all means, refuse. Your comfort level in completing tasks is more important than what someone else wants you to do.
Avoiding over-committing yourself by saying no doesn't mean that you are finished with even discussing the project. You can still suggest someone who may be a better candidate for the task. You meet many people in your life who may be able to offer the same skills and work ethics to the project that you are being forced to undertake. If this happens, be sure to tell the person you are refusing about the other individual. This will not only ease the rejection you are about to offer them, it will also help ease their minds because they can find someone to help out.
One last way to avoid over-commitment is only saying no for now. You may actually want to help with the project, but you know you just do not have the time to offer right now. Because of this, you can offer your services at some other time in the future. This will keep you from filling your schedule, but certainly does not mean you cannot be involved with the project. If the person cannot wait for your help, don’t worry. They will go ahead and find someone else who can help them.
Over-commitment can bring real problems to your life. Learn to refuse.