Again, it’s important to be polite, but being nice by saying yes all the time only hurts you.

When you make it easy for people to grab your time (or money), they will continue to do it.

However, if you erect a wall or they will look for easier targets.

Show them that your tim...

Simply say so—you can compliment the idea, the project, the person, the organization—but say that it’s not the right fit, or it’s not what you’re looking for at this time. Only say this if it’s true, as people can sense insincerity.

It’s a simple fact that you can never be productive if you take on too many commitments—you simply spread yourself too thin and will not be able to get anything done, at least not well or on time.

That’s why the art of saying no can be a game changer for productivity.

Requests for you...

Know your commitments and how valuable your precious time is.

Then, when someone asks you to dedicate some of your time to a new commitment, you’ll know that you simply cannot do it.

Be honest when you tell them that: “I just can’t right now. My plate is overloaded as it is.”

Practice makes perfect. Saying “no” as often as you can is a great way to get better at it and more comfortable with saying NO.

Sometimes, repeating the word is the only way to get a message through to extremely persistent people.

When they keep insisting, just keep saying no. Eventu...