Can You Say No?

Can you do that? Say no, without feeling guilty.

For reasons of being seen as selfish, rude or simply the need to be a nice guy, we feel terrible inside when we say no.

If you find yourself doing more than your fair share of work, never having time for yourself and always living on the edge, then you probably need to cut down on some of your commitments. The best way to this is to say no new commitments.

Do not associate the feeling of guilt with saying no. By saying no, you are committing your energy to the task on hand. This is better then accepting new obligations but scattering your resources and losing your focus.

By saying no to new tasks at work, you are also letting others grow. If you always been the one organizing bowling tournaments for your organization, why not say no this time around. Let others do it. Let them learn.

Here are several tips you can use to say no.

1. Just say it. Be firm and sincere. Let others know that you have other obligations.

2. Make it short.

3. Be honest.

4. Always be respectful.

5. Repeat, if necessary.