Protection against overload
People have different perceptions of when something becomes too much, and they handle it in different ways. Making “saying no” a topic of discussion creates a space for the team to reflect on and address this. Usually, it’s a taboo to talk about how exactly we deal with too much work and how we protect ourselves from burnout, especially in highly performance-driven teams. Saying no opens up these conversations and acts as a preventive measure against overload and burnout.
Better Distribution of Work
Work tends to go where it gets done. This saying fits perfectly here. In many teams, work is not evenly distributed but often piles up with those who can’t say no. If this happens occasionally, that’s fine, but if it becomes a constant situation, it’s unfair. When the ability to say no is better distributed, the work will inevitably be more fairly distributed as well. Those who have previously taken on everything and begin to push back by saying no will, in effect, trigger an automatic redistribution of tasks.
Achieving more!
Wait, how can we achieve more by saying no? Yes, it’s counterintuitive, but we’ve found that saying NO to one thing is actually leads to saying YES to another. It allows you to focus on the truly important tasks. Saying no leads to better prioritisation, and by relieving the burden (both in terms of time and mental load), you gain the energy to focus on what really matters.
This is how #Saying No works
The "Saying No" hack is about learning from each other as a team how to set better boundaries, make too many A-priorities visible, and protect ourselves from overload. Naturally, some people are better at this than others. It’s both inspiring and relieving to hear from colleagues how they manage to set boundaries and what their experiences have been with it.
Know someone who’d love this hack?
ShareWork tends to go where it gets done. This saying fits perfectly here. In many teams, work is not evenly distributed but often piles up with those who can’t say no. If this happens occasionally, that’s fine, but if it becomes a constant situation, it’s unfair. When the ability to say no is better distributed, the work will inevitably be more fairly distributed as well. Those who have previously taken on everything and begin to push back by saying no will, in effect, trigger an automatic redistribution of tasks.
Wait, how can we achieve more by saying no? Yes, it’s counterintuitive, but we’ve found that saying NO to one thing is actually leads to saying YES to another. It allows you to focus on the truly important tasks. Saying no leads to better prioritisation, and by relieving the burden (both in terms of time and mental load), you gain the energy to focus on what really matters.
The "Saying No" hack is about learning from each other as a team how to set better boundaries, make too many A-priorities visible, and protect ourselves from overload. Naturally, some people are better at this than others. It’s both inspiring and relieving to hear from colleagues how they manage to set boundaries and what their experiences have been with it.
Know someone who’d love this hack?
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