Did you know that being unable to say ‘No’ can have health consequences?
I was shocked too! To make a long story short, a heavy workload and loss of control are among the biggest causes of stress which if left untreated can have a serious impact on physical (heart disease, poor immunity and high blood pressure) and mental health.
No...?
So how can you protect yourself from work stress? By using ‘No’ to help feel more in control of your time and energy. Why might someone not be using ‘No’ already? For my clients, the same reasons often come up again and again:
1. Afraid of being rude
2.Unsure of vision and values – not connected to their why
3.Unable to see that saying yes means no to something else
Let’s dive in!
1.Saying ‘No’ doesn’t mean being rude. You can use a gentle approach to get your message across. Clients and I will come up with a list of phrases that suit them and their language. We then practice the phrases so that they are ready to pull out when my client next needs to turn something down.
2.People who say yes too often are often unsure about their goals and values so therefore their boundaries are kind of slippery. Three good questions to ask yourself when something comes your way are:
Which of my big-picture goals will this help me achieve?
Where in my schedule does this task belong?
How long will it take?
(And if you’re not clear on your goals and values… give me a call.)
3.Every yes is a no to something else. It’s okay to feel a little uncomfortable saying ‘No’ if it means that you get to spend your time doing things that are actually important to you. Undertaking a reality check on where your time is going helps here. When you’ve taken into account where your 168 hours a week are being spent, it strengthens your resolve to say no because the mathematical equation becomes hard to argue with.
If your trouble with the word ‘No’ goes deeper, book a quick call! I’d be delighted to help you strengthen your resolve, see where your time goes and lessen your heavy workload.
If this resonates, book a quick call with moi!
Talk soon,
Christie
