I Got a LinkedIn Message Last Week
A connection offered me the opportunity to write business articles for a published newspaper.
And while I would have jumped at the chance a year ago.
Today, not so much. Because, today, I stopped and thought about what this commitment would mean for me.
The Reflex We Don’t Talk About
People pleasers don’t hesitate. We say yes to everything even if it is detrimental to our goals and success. I speak from experience: I kept piling commitments on, without giving a second thought to how the increasing workload would affect me.
In the moment, saying “yes” feels productive, generous, like the right thing to do. But understand that there is a fine line between saying yes to growth and saying yes to burnout.
I Counted Everything On My Plate
Before responding, I laid it all out in context for myself.
- Four ongoing career-oriented internships
- Five leadership executive board positions
- Eight active club memberships
- Six academically challenging classes each semester
- Twenty-five hours a week dedicated to my dance team
- Three additional part-time jobs
- A social life, family, and friendships
- My mental health, sleeping, eating, and showering (can’t forget that)!
Woah. Looking at this as I write it, puts everything into context. Note – this is not even half of it.
And someone was asking me to add consistent in-depth article writing on top of that…
What “No” Looks Like
Here is what I want you to know:
It is okay to say no. It is okay to defer the opportunity. It is okay to recommend someone else who might be a better fit. It is okay to negotiate the terms. It is okay to choose yourself.
And while it might be difficult to say no on the spot – trust me, it gets easier. Especially when you realize you are doing it to prioritize your own goals, not someone else’s.
What I Did
I will be honest. I didn’t say no.
But I didn’t say yes either. Not right away.
During the introductory conversation, I discussed everything I had going on and asked for a smaller starting commitment – just one article. No pressure beyond that.
If it grows into something that works for both of us, great. If not, that is fine too.
Final Thought
Know your limits, respect them, and work around them. You are the keeper of your time, priorities, and most importantly, the driver of your goals.
Want to Build a Business That Grows Without Burning Out?
At Dancey Growth Group, we help business teams make smarter decisions about where to invest their time, energy, and resources.
Visit our Contact Page to start a conversation.
