Sometimes, the hardest thing for us to do is to utter one simple word, no. It is easy to feel obligated to say yes to things we’d rather turn down. It is easy to feel like we need to say yes to people who are close to us. Saying yes may seem like an easy answer for the reasons above, but saying yes when you need to say no can cause burnout.
If you’ve always felt the compassion to meet everyone’s needs before your own, you’ll find yourself overwhelmed and overworked. If agreeing to someone’s request leaves you feeling resentful, remember that you have every right to say no.
Saying no doesn’t mean you’re a bad person
Many of us find it difficult to say no because we don’t want to disappoint others. Some people take on more obligations than they can handle because they feel like saying no possibly means burning bridges or hurting others feeling.
Saying no doesn’t mean you’re being unkind, selfish or rude. Wanting to make people happy is not an intrinsically negative quality, but taking on additional responsibilities means that you’ll need to fill up your nights and weekends just to get everything done. When you’re under too much stress and overcommitted, you’ll more likely to feel irritable, stressed and exhausted. Don’t feel guilty about saying no if you don’t have the time or interest in the task.
Guide to effectively saying no
The art of saying no can be difficult to attempt, let alone master, but the good news is it can be learned. If you’re having trouble saying no, these might help.
Be honest
Telling the truth is always the best way to turn down a family member, friend or colleague. Do not fabricate reasons just to get out of an obligation. Simply state your reason for refusing the request.
Sleep on it
Take a day or two to think about the request before answering. If you can’t sleep on it, then pay attention to your body. You can feel it in your body if you don’t want to do it.