I hear these refrains too often: “I’m tired.” "I'm too busy." "I'm barely keeping my head above water."
Let’s stop this.
In March, I spoke about zombies and content strategy at WordCamp Atlanta, an annual WordPress conference. The talk is here on WordPress TV. But what surprised me was people's interest afterwards in a document I referenced very briefly in the middle of my presentation. The document is called "20 Ways to Say No" and was written by Ramona Creel. It's perfect for people who overextend themselves.
Please enjoy and use these 3 pages of ways to say no!
You may be overextended if you:
- forget appointments
- consistently feel overwhelmed
- find yourself with insomnia in the middle of the night
- frequently say you’ll do something, then not do it
- have very little “down time” to decompress
These signs mean something needs to change.
I see too many overextended business owners and professionals. Sometimes their businesses don’t thrive. Or sometimes their businesses succeed, but they have lost any semblance of serenity. What good is it to have a successful business and be stressed out all the time?
Is the solution time management? Is it meditation or medication? Is it getting a coach? Maybe those things would help.
But the one thing that I know helps is to:
SAY "NO"
It's so simple, but it can be hard to do. As small business and website owners, we need to say "no" more frequently. We should only say “yes” to the right things, such as clients that match our values and projects that excite us.
Saying "no" doesn’t mean being self-centered or uncaring. It means that we can only give so much without replenishing ourselves before we crumble.
My friend Rick sent me this Say "No" document about 7 years ago. It has made me a better professional and helped me become more focused. Download the 20 Ways to Say No PDF to learn how to say "no" in a gracious but honest way. And do let me know if it helps you!