The ability to say “no” is almost a talent which can save you from a lot of troubles. But sometimes there are situations when you should say “no” not to someone else, but to yourself. If you can do this, you will spare yourself some stressful moments, improve your self-esteem and learn to better interact with your colleagues.

“No” to complaining

Never complain about certain things. If your colleague gets promoted but you think you deserve it more, if some other colleague goes home an hour early all the time, if someone else gets compliments but not you, you should not complain. Remember, that complaining is what weak people do. Instead of that, you should focus on your duties and responsibilities and show how intelligent and hardworking you are. This will lead to much better results than complaining.

“No” to colleagues who push down their duties on you

No, I’m not saying you shouldn’t help your colleagues. You definitely should give a hand to those who actually cannot handle a task. But you have to say “no” to some pushy colleagues who want to take advantage of you.

Saying “yes” to others, make sure you are not saying “no” to yourself. Don’t let other people use you; there will be no good out of that. And if you think that you can win some trust and respect this way, you are wrong.

“No” to the phrase “I’ll try”

“I’ll try”, “I hope I can handle it”, etc. Of course, there can be situations for such phrases, but almost always they just show that you are not confident and not sure of your skills and abilities. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should someone else?

And who respects insecure people? Right, no one does. So forget about these phrases and learn how to look confident even if you are not sure you can do it.

“No” to lying

Did you promise to come to work half an hour earlier? Be at work half an hour earlier. Did you promise to back up your colleague who is sick? Do just that. Did you promise to complete the task till 5 pm? Deal with it.

We all lie sometimes. Someone lies more, someone less. It is very difficult to avoid it; it is just how our world works. But don’t forget that at your work you are responsible not only for yourself. By lying you can let your colleagues down. Try to be honest, and if you cannot finish something in time, just say it openly.  

“No” to working in your free time

Of course, there are some situations when actually cannot finish an important task in time and you have to finish it after work. But if it happens all the time that is the first signal to change something.

If you feel like the work load is too much for you, you probably should talk to your boss. Or you can look for a new job to save your physical and mental health.

“No” to being shy

Don’t be afraid to participate in discussions and to say what you think even if you just got this job. A person who has an opinion deserves respect.

“No” to burning the bridges  

Let’s say that you are quitting the gob that has bored you to death during the past couple of years. Surely, you may already feel free when you work for these last two weeks. You can start being rude to your colleagues, do nothing and ruin your relationships with your boss thinking that you have nothing to lose. Remember that the Earth is round and you should never burn the bridges. Any relationships may be important for you in the future. So don’t do anything stupid. 

About the Author:

Jana Rookard is a full time writer and content manager at the essay writing service Essay Jedii. She love to write and to be creative.