Did you know saying no makes you more productive? It can. It can help relieve the burden of busyness and help you check more items off your to-do list. Saying no will also help you focus your entrepeneurial efforts and give you laser focus in your business — a must if you want to succeed in your unique niche.
Are you overwhelmed with too much too do and not enough time to do it? Many entrepreneurs are. Those in my coaching program talk about that regularly. “I just can’t get it all done.” Maybe, I tell them, you don’t need to do it ALL. Maybe the reason you’re so busy and feeling so overwhelmed is because you’re not saying no.
Saying No Makes You More Productive
You could be suffering the “Yes syndrome.” What is it? It’s when a project or offer comes along and you just can’t find the word “no” in your vocabulary even if you truly don’t want to say yes. You find you can’t step back and turn it down. Why? FOMO — fear of missing out. Fear of losing an income stream. Having a continual need to please clients even when they ask you to take on a project that is outside of your wheelhouse or outside of the scope of the work you typically do.
Saying “yes” all of the time leads to burnout and resentment.
When should you say no? Here are a few times to consider:
- Is the opportunity in harmony with your business and your life mission? If you’re saying yes to something that feels ethically wrong, you need to say no. Will saying yes to this opportunity work within your life mission? If so, say yes.
- Does the opportunity coincide with your life and your business convictions?
- Were you offered this opportunity through reliable connections in whom you have trust? Will your family and friends support your decision? This question should be asked especially if the opportunity will pull you away from family and friend events.
- Will saying yes help meet the needs of the culture in which you thrive?
- Does this opportunity fit in with your life and business priorities? You should take time to list your top three life and business priorities so that every opportunity that comes your way will need to be filtered through that lens to see if it’s a fit.
Don’t continue to say “yes” out of habit. Say a friendly, but firm “no” and don’t feel you need to offer reasons why or excuses. If, however the opportunity might be a fit for your life and your business ask for time to consider it.