It's OK to Say "NO" More Often (and why you should!)

I want to share something that will make you feel more in control of your time and also your actions … and it can have a spillover effect into other areas of your life. 

It’s saying NO more often – that’s right, all you have to do is JUST SAY NO to things you are not wholeheartedly interested in doing!

In fact, you can even take it a step farther and ONLY agree to things that make you say HE$$ YES!

If your schedule is usually jam-packed and you sometimes wonder how you’re going to accomplish everything on your list, it might be time to take back control!

What does this have to do with health and wellness? A lot!

Here’s why: Overcommitting your time and mental energy can leave you feeling overwhelmed, stressed and drained. It can even take a toll on your wallet … and your health!

After a while it becomes challenging to do everything on your list WELL– and that can mean everything suffers, including your own quality of life!

Also, a lot of people say they don’t have time for their own self-care, but that’s because they put everything else ahead of it on their to-do list.

But the truth is, if you limit what you do to the things you truly value and are excited about, you bring up the level of quality and also the level of enjoyment.

One way to start saying NO more often is to think about what your priorities are.

What are you working toward right now– building better relationships, your family, your health, or maybe your career?

I know all of those things sound great, but working toward all of them at the same time is very challenging. It doesn’t necessarily mean you ignore the things that are not your priority, but they do fall lower on your list (right now!).

Once you have your priority in mind, it’s easier to say YES to the things that fall in line with it … the things that make you excited and will add value to your life.

And it’s also easier to say NO to the things that don’t align with your top priority.

For example, if your family is your main priority, that can still include career and health activities, since providing for them, being a role-model, and being healthy are part of the equation.

One way you’ll know that saying NO to something is the right thing to do is to trust your instincts – if you feel a sense of relief at the thought of not doing it, then you’re probably better off without it!

And if actually SAYING the word “NO” is hard for you, one trick is use definitive words, instead of a vague excuse or apology.

Some samples: “I don’t have time to bake brownies for the bake sale.” “I don’t go out for drinks during the week.” “Weekends are family time.” “I work out every morning.”

You get the picture! Basically, using that language helps you set a clear boundary, which means people are more apt to understand and give you less push-back when you say no.

Remember, along with your health, your time is one of your most precious resources.

You never get back the hours you spend doing something you don’t want to do!

Guarding your time is one of the best ways you can take care of yourself!