Your Time Is A Valuable Asset – Learn To Say No!!

The truth is, we all experience problems in our life, some personal to us, others shared openly with others though the matter of the fact is that we all have problems we face daily. Now, who’s to say that your problems are more important than another person’s problems, or that their problems are more urgent than your own? There is simply no determining factor! But unfortunately, I’ve come to realise that the people in our lives generally tend to determine that their problems are more significant to everyone else’s problems, which can be seen as having quite a selfish mindset but the reality is, that’s the world we live in. You see, people aim to solve their problems as quickly as possible, and rightfully so, realistically who wants to live a life full of concern and troubles? Nobody. So the most common solution in solving your problems is usually by asking others for your help. Under normal circumstances, there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking help, if anything that’s a really good thing especially asking for help when having the right intentions. It’s a hard pill to swallow but people are SELFISH! They seek to ease their hardships in an attempt to free up their own time and this is where the lines draw thin… When helping others to solve their problems, you are essentially robbing yourself of the valuable time you may require to invest in working through your own problems or achieving your personal goals. Now, let me be clear in saying that what other people go through are definitely important and are by no means irrelevant. Only, who’s to say that what you’re going through isn’t just as or even more important?

There’s a very high respect that comes with saying no when someone asks for your time? Yet, the trouble with saying no in these types of situations is that people often want to say NO but feel obliged to say YES. Of course, It can be extremely awkward to let people down, because this introduces feelings of guilt or anxiety in the idea of committing to saying no. And to avoid these feelings in any way, saying YES is often the only option. Besides, agreeing to offer help provides us with the opportunity to 1. be seen as selfless instead of selfish & 2. avoid causing others disappointment. After all, we’re only human, helping other people is part of human nature and is critical for strengthening our relationships with those around us. However, the reality is that you can’t truly help everyone or commit to everything. By all means, try to help other people work through their problems and achieve their goals and objectives. However, remain selective with who genuinely deserves your time. Remember that over-committing to something can cost you in the long run. Personally, I respect people who have a high level of self-respect and self-worth because this shows me that they have a clear set of boundaries. Creating boundaries is very key when prioritising your time, those boundaries become the standards and expectations you choose to live by. The thing is, not everyone is willing to respect those boundaries you have set, but the individuals who make the effort to respect them over time are the ones respecting you in the process and ultimately value your time.

Saying NO to the people who take advantage of your time could be the most selfless act you can make because you’re putting yourself first, making you the number one priority of your own life. In the instance of saying no, you are 100% respecting yourself and thinking beyond the present moment, focusing on improving your own life, freeing up space to accomplish your own goals and objectives, committing to delivering the results that you expect of you whilst, taking into consideration the future impact of your current decisions and actions. Yes, of course, it’s important to help those around you however, you must find a balance where you take the time to focus on your own personal goals and priorities, while also allocating adequate time for other people. And all this requires having very clear personal boundaries to protect your energy.

Moral of the story: Learning to say NO can be of great significance in both our personal and professional lives. Not only will it free your time to focus on things that matter most to you, but it will also provide you with the time and space you require to invest in yourself and other people but on your own terms.

Yours Truly,

Sasi