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How to Say No at Work

how to say no at work

Do you need to just say “no”? These days many people are expected to do more work in less time. Since people want to appear eager, be a team player and be well liked, they often understandably say yes to increasing demands. But sometimes saying yes comes with a high cost. Increased stress, decreased focus, missed deadlines and lower quality work are just a few of the consequences.

Saying no is a good skill to develop so you can stay healthy, avoid burnout and perform at your best.

Here are six tips for how to respond when you need to say no at work:

1. Take time

Ask for time to fully consider the request and estimate how much time you will need to complete the assignment with quality work.

2. Consider the consequences

Think through both the risks and benefits professionally and personally. Committing to a new opportunity might get in the way of meeting an important goal you are working towards, or create exhaustion and burnout. Saying “yes” to something inevitably means saying “no” to something else. Saying “yes” to new work may mean saying “no” to completing existing work on time, or getting home to dinner with your family.

3. Respond in person

When you need to say no, do so in person to be sure that you convey the appropriate tone of voice, which can’t be communicated as well through email. If in-person communication isn’t possible because you’re working remotely or have a distributed work team, see if you can video conference a conversation rather than just rely on an email or instant message exchange.

4. Be brief

Make your explanation short and to the point. Avoid going into details of your entire calendar and opening up all of your other projects for review. You can always elaborate if requested. Otherwise, remain professional but brief. In reality “no” is a complete sentence; again, keep it cordial and professional though.

5. Ask for help prioritizing

If a manager asks you to take on an additional project when you are already committed to something else, briefly explain your other commitment and ask for help determining which is most important to do first.

6. Propose an alternative

Ask if you can contribute in a different way, or take on the requested project at a later time.

Saying no can be beneficial personally and professionally if done thoughtfully. Need a little more inspiration to start saying no? In this short video, Debbie provides tips on saying no as a time management strategy.

How Simply Placed Can Help

Do you need help knowing when to say no?  Do you need help prioritizing all of the things to which you have said yes? Our individual “It’s About Time” productivity coaching sessions help our clients take control over their busy schedules and have more time for things that really matter.  Set up a Discovery Call today to learn more about how Simply Placed can help!

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