When to say “No”!

As we go through life, many of us want to accomplish as much as possible. We want to make as many people as happy as possible. In doing so, we keep ourselves eternally busy and take on as much as we can. We take on so much and we rarely, if ever say no.

I was going to make this a nursing article, but I think it transcends the healthcare field for sure. When is it ok to say “No”? When we are tired? When we are sick? When we can literally not take on any more? The answer is: it is okay to say no well before this occurs. We can say no anytime we choose because we are choosing for ourselves.

We often don’t want to say no. We feel it makes us look weak, apathetic, lazy, or uninterested. Guess what? We must say no because it is good for us! We can’t take on every project. We can’t help every person. We can’t solve every problem. What we can do, is take care of ourselves. We do this, by sometimes saying no. When we say no, we are looking out for ourselves. When we say no, we are making time for ourselves too. We are acknowledging that our time and well-being are important.

Learn to say “No”! You don’t have to always be available. You can sometimes take time for yourself. In fact, this is something you must do!

Here is another thing to remember: When you learn to say no, you can actually help people more. Yes, this is true. How helpful are you actually being when you are burned out and being pulled in multiple directions? In reality, when you learn to say no more often, you can focus on certain items in a more appropriate manner, and this includes helping other people.