How about giving me a ride to the airport?
Are you often approached by a person to do something they need? They have several alternatives. They could get a cab or ask someone else. If you have the time, that's fine. Often you do not really have the time to take nearly an hour to do a job that taxis are there to do.
Sometimes the best answer is a simple no.
Most of us have limited amounts of both time and money, and we must preserve these critical assets. We need to set boundaries with people that take our time. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said, "The art of leadership is saying no. It is very easy to say yes."
There is no stigma in the word no. It does not need an explanation. Just "No, I can't" is all you need when their request conflicts with your priority during that time.
Remember, your priorities are every bit as important as their priorities. It is easy to get into a trap or habit of always saying yes to everything that someone wants you to do.
Sometimes the only way you can get more time for the things you want to do is to say no to some things you do not want to do. Saying no may be your most effective time management tool.
People have reported having saved as much as six (6) hours during their work week by being a little stingy when someone asks them to take time away from their assignments to help someone with theirs. Here are some of the ways they have done this:
Another concept of saying no is making it a delayed yes. Here are some non-threatening questions to ask:
If you like the concept of saying yes slowly, commit to an automatic time that you delay any request to take your time. Consider 15 minutes, one hour, or something else. Let your colleagues know that you have this automatic waiting period for time commitments. They will understand.
Are you often approached by a person to do something they need? They have several alternatives. They could get a cab or ask someone else. If you have the time, that's fine. Often you do not really have the time to take nearly an hour to do a job that taxis are there to do.
Sometimes the best answer is a simple no.
Most of us have limited amounts of both time and money, and we must preserve these critical assets. We need to set boundaries with people that take our time. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said, "The art of leadership is saying no. It is very easy to say yes."
There is no stigma in the word no. It does not need an explanation. Just "No, I can't" is all you need when their request conflicts with your priority during that time.
Remember, your priorities are every bit as important as their priorities. It is easy to get into a trap or habit of always saying yes to everything that someone wants you to do.
Sometimes the only way you can get more time for the things you want to do is to say no to some things you do not want to do. Saying no may be your most effective time management tool.
People have reported having saved as much as six (6) hours during their work week by being a little stingy when someone asks them to take time away from their assignments to help someone with theirs. Here are some of the ways they have done this:
- I would like to help you our, but right now I have another priority at the moment.
- This is really not a good time, but can you get back to me this afternoon?
- Let me think about it first, and I'll get back to you. I may be committed to another project soon.
- No, I just can't do that.
Another concept of saying no is making it a delayed yes. Here are some non-threatening questions to ask:
- I might be interested, but what is our exact purpose in doing this project?
- What are the real benefits to each of us if I join you in this project?
- When is the anticipated time of completion?
If you like the concept of saying yes slowly, commit to an automatic time that you delay any request to take your time. Consider 15 minutes, one hour, or something else. Let your colleagues know that you have this automatic waiting period for time commitments. They will understand.
For more ways to say no without feeling guilty, and for some real
world ways to improve the management of your time, visit our website at
http://www.achievemore4life.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harris_Laing
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