Just Say "NO"

From an article on time management: This is a major reason why people have poor time management in the workplace (and maybe at home too!). The inability to say NO. It is very rare to find people with the ability to politely and firmly say NO. There are many valid reasons for people not wanting to say NO. Unfortunately, saying yes all the time leads to poor time management at work and more work and more stress. 

How valuable is your time? My guess is you think your time is pretty darn valuable, and you're right, IT IS. Everybody's time is valuable, and it's important to remember that given that everybody is asked to do more and more in their jobs without extra pay or with less pay. We all have performance expectations to meet and performance goals to meet.  So why is it that you always say "yes" whenever somebody asks you to do something, even though others are available to help them, when you have tasks to complete and work to get done?

Saying "no" to somebody is like the fear of rejection in reverse. You're afraid that saying "no" when you're asked to help will make you seem rude or like you're not a team player or that the other person will be upset with you.

The people that accomplish the most with the time they have in a work day do so because they know how to prioritize, when to say "yes", and when to say "no".

Now, saying "no" all the time is a different story. You have to give to get. However, if you're always saying "yes" whenever somebody asks for help you'll be the one they come to time and time again - taking advantage of your own precious time.

Help when you can, but when you simply cannot don't be afraid to say "no". How that person that asked you for help reacts is up to them. You'll find that they'll react similar to how they would handle any obstacle in their way. Either they understand, suck it up, and do it themselves or find somebody else to help OR they get upset. Again, it's up to them - how they react has nothing to do with you and reflects more on who they are than on who you are. They asked and you simply let them know you could not help.

Next time your boss, colleagues, family, friends, or kids ask for your help be sure to assess your current situation and answer honestly if you can really give up that time to do it. If you can't give up that time, don't be afraid to just say "no".