Learn to Say No

on July 29, 2021

How many times have you agreed to do something then days later get overwhelmed by how much you must do? Or have you ever sat at an event and thought ‘I don’t even want to be here but then remembered that you were the same one who agreed to come? We become frustrated by our obligations even though we were the ones who said yes to them in the first place.

If you can relate to any of those, continue reading to find out how the word ‘NO’ can save you from these situations.

We often agree to do things because we do not want to come across as rude, conceited, or useless. for example, in your workplace or at home it can be harder to say no to your colleagues/family because you like them and want to support them, not to mention we will probably need their help in the future.  But after we agree to favours, we find ourselves committed to things that hardly benefit us.

I like how the economist Tim Harford put it, “Every time we say yes to a request, we are also saying no to anything else we might accomplish with the time.” Once you have committed to something, you have already decided how that future block of time will be spent.

So just because you say no to people does not mean that you do not want to help others or participate in spontaneous ideas, it simply means you are focused and say yes to things that outweigh the opportunity given.

Saying no is an important skill to develop at any stage of your career because it retains the most important asset in life: your time. As the investor, Pedro Sorrentino said, “If you don’t guard your time, people will steal it from you.”

Once you have mastered eliminating distractions by saying ‘no’ you will notice that not only will productivity levels increase but you will start to become more successful and attract likeminded people, which will only lead to more success – a virtuous cycle

If you struggle to make decisions or do not know when to say yes or no, you can use Tim Harford’s strategy where you ask yourself “If I had to do this today, would I agree to it?”. Alternatively, you can try Derek Sivers method – “Hell Yeah or No” If somebody asks you to do something and your first response is “Hell Yeah!”, then do it. If it does not energize or excite you, then say no.  the bottom line is If an opportunity is exciting enough to drop whatever you are doing there and then, then it is a yes. If it is not, then maybe you should think twice.

An important thing to remember is that time is precious and something that we cannot get back, so make sure you use it wisely. It is always easier to avoid commitments rather than getting out of them

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – Benjamin Franklin

Here at the high street centre, we are big supporters of productivity and success. If you are a small business owner who needs quiet space to get some work done, feel free to book our meeting rooms for as little as £10/hour.

Facilitated with a flat-screen TV, refreshments & a big table the meeting rooms are also perfect for hosting presentations or showcasing your business to a group of people.

I can assure you that saying yes to our facilities will not only benefit your business but, can help you make new connections with other businesses that are here.

So, if you are interested get in touch!

Drop me an email at [email protected] or drop a call on
0208 249 6000 and I will book you in!

To read more on Lifestyle & Wellbeing click here

Written by Veronika Kot

Filed under  Blog • Lifestyle & Wellbeing 

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