“The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say “no” to almost everything.” ~Warren Buffett

Do you ever feel like you’re overwhelmingly overloaded at your job? If you said “yes,” you’re not alone. Having too much work to do — and not enough time to do it — is a way too common scenario.

Sometimes burnout cultures play a role in chronically overburdening people. But often, the problem is not our boss, our co-worker, or the person who Slacks at 4:56 p.m. with an urgent request. Many of the reasons we’re overwhelmed start when we say yes when we really ought to say no.

You have more power than you realize over your workload. When people ask you to do stuff, they don’t know everything that competes for your time. It’s up to you to communicate the full picture. It’s your choice on how to use your time. While it’s uncomfortable to say no, it’s often the right thing to do. Saying no doesn’t make you an arse.

Saying no is a learned skill, and it helps to practice. At the DevOps Enterprise Summit in London last month, I outlined seven everyday scenarios for saying no and exactly how to say it.  These strategies can help you avoid overburdening yourself and become better guardians of your time, your most precious resource. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.

7 Ways to Say “No” to Everyday Requests

#7 Someone else’s emergency… “I know you’re busy, but…”

Your colleague needs help with the printer. If you allow yourself to be pegged as the printer fixer, you can count on frequent interruptions and context switching. Don’t assume that your colleague’s work is more important than your work.

Your Response: “I can’t do it this minute. I can show you later how  to fix the printer going forward. Or just open the printer and follow the instructions.”

#6 A major contributor leaves the company… “Can you cover Brent’s workload until the new hire starts?”

Take time to mull this over before responding too quickly. Some healthy stalling tactics can get you off the hook until you are certain. When possible, delay your answer until the most irresponsible moment (perhaps after the new hire starts:-)

Your Response? “I’m flattered that you think so highly of me. Let me get back to you.”

#5 The Boss’s pet project… “I have a great opportunity for you!”

Your boss wants your help to finish Project Sally. It’s hard to say no to the boss,

especially when they make you an offer you can’t refuse. When you hedge a no, you can buy extra time.

Your response? “Let’s look at all the things we are trying to do right now. Can we set a time next week to discuss my team’s priorities to see what could be dropped in order to make time for this request.”

#4 Got a minute?… “Because I have this 20-minute thing to chat about.”

Your teammate wants a minute of your time to run something past you, but it’s not the best time for you. Delaying the conversation until  later will help you finish your most important work of the day. Remember that unplanned work delays planned work. Your whole day could be consumed by five minute interruptions if you let them.

Your Response?

“Sorry. Nothing really takes just one minute. I’m in the middle of something right now. Can we catch up later today?”

#3 Please maximize your time for my benefit… “While you’re at lunch, can you pick me up some aspirin and black socks?”

You might feel like you need to list all the reasons why you can’t run other people’s errands. But in some cases, there is no need to make excuses, and it’s just best not to elaborate. “No” is a complete sentence.

Your response?

“Sorry, but no.”

#2 The after-work happy hour invite… “Come on – we’re going out for drinks.”

Everyone wants to form positive relationships with his or her team. But socializing after regular work hours or outside of the office isn’t for everyone. Fortunately, you can use your personal time to set some boundaries. And, similar to your response for scenario number three, you don’t need to elaborate.

Your Response?

“Thanks so much for the invite! But I have a conflict.”

#1 The big favor… “Can you cover the <insert undesirable travel location> meeting for me?

On something like this, consider the tradeoffs. It could be that there’s a win for both of you. You could respond with, “I’ll take you up on that — if you will cover the <insert even more undesirable travel location>  meeting for me.

What will you choose to do today?

Being overloaded at work can make you feel powerless, ineffective, and exhausted. When you’re struggling, tally up how much you’ve said “yes” lately. See if there’s a connection. If you’ve accepted work that’s outside of your priorities, examine how it has affected your progress on the more important stuff. If you notice delays, then try using the strategies in this post to recapture your valuable time.

Remember:

• If you are going to finish your day’s work (or your life’s work), then you must reserve time to do it.
• A decision to do one thing is a decision to delay something else.

Liberate yourself from the habit of saying yes. “No” is an honorable response to someone asking you to do something that’s not in line with your goals. “No” does not make you an arse.