How to Say 'No' at Work

How I Learned to Say "No" at Work Without the Guilt

Hello Everyone!

I know I sound like a broken record now but juggling work with a newborn has been exhausting.

I used to struggle a lot with saying “no”, especially when it came to work. I was worried that I would miss out on important opportunities or disappoint my colleagues in some way.

Yet, as things stand, I simply cannot say “yes” to every request because that would leave me overwhelmed. I have, over the past few weeks, realised that I won’t do myself - or others around me - any favours by going out on a limb.

Here’s how I’ve gone about it…

Recognising the Cost of Overcommitment

I guess the first step has been to accept my limits.

It may sound obvious and I have, in general, been self-aware in this sense but now, with the family situation being what it is, I have had to accept that I am a lot more stretched than I used to be.

Overcommitting to work impacts my energy levels and keeps me away from family time. The realisation that I am completely ineffective, when drained, helped me recalibrate.

Learning to Respect My Workload

At work, I get loads of requests but not every one of those is crucial to take up urgently. Many of them could be categorised as ‘good-to-have’.

To manage my workload and to stay sane, I have started marking tasks based on the urgency they demand. In other words, when I am asked to take on extra work, I respectfully explain my current priorities and it becomes a different conversation then.

For instance, I might say, “I would really like to help but, considering the current deadlines that I have to meet, I won’t be able to give your request the attention it demands”. Typically, I also suggest alternatives like rescheduling, swapping tasks with me or delegating.

The idea behind politely explaining my situation is to show my willingness to help without compromising on the quality of the work that I deliver.

Communicating Clearly

One can say “no” without making it feel confrontational.

I try to be as transparent as I can and communicate the challenge that I have managing my workload. Most people are understanding.

I often even try to let my colleagues know beforehand if I am to take up something I’d need to block my time for. Then, I don’t even have to decline extra tasks because they don’t come my way in the first place :).

Embracing the Freedom to Say “No”

Learning to say “no” respectfully and thoughtfully has been great for me.

With a clear sense of what needs to be done, I feel a lot safer and more fulfilled I guess.

Saying “no” when I have a genuine reason to hasn’t just freed up time for me—it’s empowered me to take care of things better on the personal front

AI Image, generated with Dall•E by me

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