No one loves saying "no" - Deepstash
Wellbeing at Work

Learn more about productivity with this collection

How to prioritize self-care in the workplace

How to adapt to new work arrangements

How to maintain work-life balance

Wellbeing at Work

Discover 103 similar ideas in

It takes just

15 mins to read

No one loves saying "no"

No one loves saying "no"

Being inundated and exhausted became like a badge of honor at work**, a way to compare to others to convince ourselves that we're doing all we can with the time we have.

All too often, we see this state as something that's happening to us. More priorities at work, do more with less, have to keep up with our co-workers, and keep pace at home and in the community. But the more we take on the less we actually accomplish at work (and in life).

Being discerning is the skill to develop if you hope to have any sense of balance in your life.

699

3.36K reads

MORE IDEAS ON THIS

"What's really involved here?"

Quite often, we'll kid ourselves about the real scope of something we agree to. It's critical to get clear on the real scope of what you're about to take on. How much work will it really take? How much time will that work really take?

And keep in mind Hofstadter's Law whic...

688

2.31K reads

"What's the cost of saying 'yes'?"

There will be a cost to everything additional you say "yes" to. It might be inconsequential, or not. Just be informed.

What has to give to say "yes" to the new thing? What new skills, resources, or assistance will you have to acquire? How much attention and energy gets diverted from s...

676

1.67K reads

"Is this on my 'to-don't' list?"

Be cognizant of what work simply must not end up on your plate and why. Remembering the why is the key here --recall the emotions, pain, and price associated with taking on the kind of thing you said you wouldn't.

Even worse than taking on work that might not fit with your...

668

1.44K reads

"Can I give a different 'yes'?"

We often say "yes" just because it's so much easier than saying "no." It's human nature.

So capitalize on that tendency by asking yourself if there's a different "yes" you can give so you can maintain the spirit of the affirmative.

656

1.43K reads

"Will taking this on serve my mission?"

What's your purpose and mission? While not every single thing you take on must flow into your mission, the vast majority of your work portfolio should all complement or support that cause.

Asking "What's the point?" brings you back to what the completion of that work serve...

665

1.41K reads

Related collections

More like this

Saying No At The Workplace

Saying No At The Workplace

Office workers, working in real offices or doing Work From Home, face requests from fellow workers all the time which can range from unnecessary to downright avoidable. In our quest to appease others, we are struggling to reach our fullest potential.

Time, as many of us have now realized, ...

Burnout Avoidance By Saying NO

  • The needs we have, like building a new house, or working out every day, growing our business, or getting a promotion is endless and always there in front of us.
  • The key is to have a happy life, and we need to focus on what we want to get out of life, which at its core isn’t that mu...

The Modern Workplace

The Modern Workplace

The workplace is changing at an alarming pace, and so do the skills needed to keep up in most jobs. Also, the emergence of the gig economy is reshaping the traditional employer-employee relationship as more contractors fill roles once reserved for full-time workers.

Read & Learn

20x Faster

without
deepstash

with
deepstash

with

deepstash

Access to 200,000+ ideas

Access to the mobile app

Unlimited idea saving & library

Unlimited history

Unlimited listening to ideas

Downloading & offline access

Personalized recommendations

Supercharge your mind with one idea per day

Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.

Email

I agree to receive email updates