Foundations Newsletter

Be More Productive by Learning to Say No

An important part of being a productive teacher or student is learning how to use our time well.  How we use our time is a choice we all have.  We can choose to work on things that move us forward and help us grow, or we can choose to do things that waste time and leave us in the same place we were yesterday.

One powerful way to reduce the time we waste is saying no.  By learning to say no we can take control of our time and our lives.  Here are two tips that may help you be better at taking control of your time.

The first tip is to use more effective language.  Some researchers found that by saying “I don’t” instead of “I can’t” people were able to stop themselves from eating junk food.  “I don’t play games in class” is a decision, while “I can’t play games in class” gives the power to someone else.  How you say no can put you in control.

The second tip is to realize that you can please people more by making sure you have time to do important work well.  By saying yes to everything, you might think you are pleasing people, but if you promise to do too much the end result might be unnecessary stress and disappointment.

So the next time you are tempted to do something that doesn’t help you be a healthier, more productive person, try using a phrase like “I don’t have time” or “I don’t do that” instead of “I can’t”.

By Jeremy Garner

Sources:

http://lifehacker.com/a-scientific-guide-to-saying-no-1293242273

http://lifehacker.com/how-people-pleasers-can-learn-to-say-no-more-often-1524324151