The Less I Do, The More I Get Done

I have a confession. I used to be a yes man. Phew! It feels good to have admitted that. I was always ready to take on another project, always ready to put aside what I was doing to help someone else. Then I realized that what I was not allowing me to do my best work, not give my best to others, and not maintain a healthy work-life balance. The time had come to learn to say no. Once I did, I was able to better focus and be more productive. I was getting more done by doing less.

Here are some of the strategies I have learned and implanted over time:

Don’t apologize: You have nothing to be sorry for if you are not able to take on a task or project. Use “unfortunately” if you feel the need to soften things.

Release feelings of guilt or fear: “If I don’t do it, who will?” is not yours to solve for. You are not personally responsible for making up for resource or organizational limitations.

Know your value: Evaluate tasks and projects to determine what value you are adding and if you are the best person for a task or project. If you don’t feel you can add value, then say no.

Manage deadlines and don’t be afraid to challenge them: Don’t assume “now” when someone asks for something. If a deadline is not provided with a request, respond with a deadline that works for you. The requester can then reply with a counteroffer if necessary. But you will be surprised how often they agree to the deadline you set.

Say no with context: Use “no because…” and briefly explain why you are not able to assist. People are very understanding and will appreciate you being up front. “No but…” allows you to say what can be done such as providing resources or links to assist, directing to a better person to assist, or offering an alternate deadline when you could accomplish the ask.

Use statements over questions: This allows you to come from a position of power while still being professional and polite. Unlike a question, a statement also doesn’t require any action from the other person. Instead of, “Is Tuesday afternoon ok for me to get the summary to you?” say, “I will send you the summary on Tuesday afternoon. Let me know if you have any questions or need it sooner than that.” Or instead of, “Can you please review the proposal and let me know what you think?” try, “Here is the proposal. Let me know your feedback and if you have any questions.”

Saying no will be difficult and even scary. You are not going to instantly apply every strategy presented here or be comfortable saying no. Take it one thing at a time and let your confidence grow. Before long, you will be saying no without fear or hesitation. Then you will find yourself doing less and getting more done.