The power of ‘no’

We are conditioned to not like it. And we find it hard to say it.

But because we don’t say it enough, it affects our productivity. Analysts, CEOs, and engineers are interrupted every three minutes, and it takes 23 minutes to get back on track after a distraction. Distractions can be disguised as a text, a call, an email, or somebody leaning on your door saying “hi, can you help me with something?”.

Where saying ‘yes’ can open doors to new opportunities, saying ‘no’ can help you expand them. By staying focused for longer and rejecting distractions -through mental and verbal ‘no’s- you get more done. ‘No’ is a muscle that must be worked out.

Now, ‘no’s know no norm.

They are fluid.

They depend on context and delivery.

They can mean ‘not now’, which allows you to be diplomatic and keep the integrity of your relationships. They can mean ‘I’m busy’, ‘I can’t’, or ‘I won’t add any value’, when replying to a meeting invite. And then they can also mean ‘I don’t want to’ or ‘I’m not interested’.

‘No’ is a complete sentence.

And your Number One (N.O.) ally to increase your productivity.

‘No’s will reduce the noise. They will help keep just enough on your plate. They will allow you to build your business, develop your career, and create your brand: by rejecting everything that your business, your career, and your brand are not.

Knowing what to reject is as important as knowing what to accept.

If you ever wondered why you don’t seem to get focused, start saying ‘no’.

Now, was this a waste of your time?

Good job.

Now you ‘no’.