WHY and HOW to say NO

WHY and HOW to say NO

As a new week will soon begin, I want to share something valuable I've learned through personal experience and from listening to others return on experience: saying “no” is crucial for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and managing your time effectively.

It's tempting to say yes to everything! But by learning to say “no”, you set clear boundaries and prioritise your own needs. This isn't about being unwilling to help others or thinking you're irreplaceable—it's about being honest with yourself and others. When you value your own time and energy, you can focus on what truly matters, both at work and in your personal life.

Why?

Being able to say “no” gives you more control over your life, reduces unnecessary stress and helps you to remain focused and concentrated on the essential.
It aids you in your time management, keeping on the right track and making the right choices

How?

Start by looking at each request and seeing if it fits with your current workload and goals. If it doesn’t, politely decline. You can offer alternatives or suggest touching base later when you have more availability.

This way, you're considerate but still taking care of yourself. Remember, saying “no” is about respecting yourself and staying focused on the right priorities and objectives.

“Focusing is about saying no” Steve Jobs

Copyright © 2024 Third Culture Professionals

Photo Pexels: Cottonbro Studio

Brid Doherty-Appriou

Brid is a native English speaker, fluent in French, a graduate in both International Business Communication and in Instructional Design. She is also accredited (TEFL) to teach English as a foreign language. Her professional experience spans over 20 years in an international environment, working in CAC 40 communication groups and as a consultant in Executive Search.

Recommendations

"I enjoy reading your blog as it gives very useful information to people like me – working on restarting his/her professional life after a period of expatriation. Your useful tips help to deal with this situation in a stress-free mode and help to methodically face few challenges. I highly recommend Brid’s articles to anyone who knows they have to do something to find a new job, but they don’t know how to do it”.

"During a period of professional reorientation where I needed financing, I used the advice of Brid to write my Skills-Based CV. Thanks to her advice, my Skills-Based CV convinced the financing organization. I highly recommend her articles".

"As an expat myself coming to the end of my current contract and planning to return home to Ireland, I found the article "La Perle Rare", particularly helpful. I will soon be searching for job opportunities. Undoubtedly, I do have to distinguish myself from the crowd. Following the suggestions and advice given by Brid, with self-reflection I discovered that I have an abundance of highly developed soft skills. These are skills I had taken for granted for so long never thinking they would highlight my uniqueness to a potential employer. In the past, my focus was on my qualifications and work experience. Although this focus is important, there is room for self-promotion too. Now, I shall forge ahead with a renewed sense of myself and the confidence to promote my other strengths in interviews. Thank you, Brid. I strongly recommend Brid’s blog to expats who find themselves seeking new job opportunities “. Fiona

"Expatrié lors d’une mission de ma conjointe, j’ai rencontré Brid qui m’a beaucoup aidé et guidé afin de développer mes activités de coach running / renforcement musculaire et de sightrunning, en langue anglaise, en particulier sur mes supports de communication.

Je recommande vivement Brid pour son enthousiasme, son dynamisme et son professionnalisme". Frédéric

http://likeyourrun.blogspot.com/

"Your content is very inspiring. It helped me a lot. Thank you." Emma

“You are so respectful! The way you treated the class, the topics we covered, “the test” you gave us without pressure. Thank you. You are great”. Soledad (English language student)