The Art Of Saying No

Hi, this is Dave Katz with Therapist Consultants, and I have a tip for you. You know, you have to create boundaries just like your patients have to create boundaries.

So I want to tell you one tip that I use to move a lot of work off my plate and to someone else's plate. It's simply the art of saying no. It could be that it happens with your family, that you have to say no, or a colleague, that you have to say no, or a business associate that you have to say no to.

So here's how you say it. When they say, would you do this for me? Would you serve on this committee? And you say, well, I would like to do it, but I don't believe I can't do it right now. And here's why, I am so busy right now that I don't feel I would give this project the importance that it deserves. I don't think I could spend the time I should on that, and it's a very important project. But I do want to tell you one thing. I know someone that I think would do a good job with that. You know, if you go down and tell Terry Jones that you're looking for a person, I think that she would be very interested in helping you with this project. So what you do is, you just tell them, no, I can't do it. I'm busy, but it's an important project and I don't think I would give it due time. And then you say, but I have a solution for you. You can go to someone else and they'll probably say yes.

And that's the art of saying no in a professional way so that people still thank you for what you gave them, the lead for a new person. But you don't have to perform the task. So think about some self-care. Think about the art of saying no, and I think you'll have a happier practice and a happier life.