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How to Decline
better at saying no to? In the past, if someone asked me for something, I may have given them a, “Sounds good, man. I’ll check my schedule and we’ll figure something out.” The hope was that it would just go away, but the result was me being pestered for a meeting I didn’t want to take. I’d have to come up with new excuses as to why I was too busy.
... See moreTimothy Ferriss • Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World
better at saying no to? In the past, if someone asked me for something, I may have given them a, “Sounds good, man. I’ll check my schedule and we’ll figure something out.” The hope was that it would just go away, but the result was me being pestered for a meeting I didn’t want to take. I’d have to come up with new excuses as to why I was too busy.
... See moreTimothy Ferriss • Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World
In her piece “How to Graciously Say No to Anyone,” Alexandra Franzen suggests the following: Thank the sender for thinking of you, decline, and, if you can, offer another form of support.
Austin Kleon • Keep Going
it helps if you can have a “no thanks” template handy. In her piece “How to Graciously Say No to Anyone,” Alexandra Franzen suggests the following: Thank the sender for thinking of you, decline, and, if you can, offer another form of support.
Austin Kleon • Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad (Austin Kleon)
If someone asks you to do something, and you appeal to some vague sense of busyness to get out of it, you’re unlikely to consistently succeed. “We’re all busy,” they might reply, “but I really need you to do this for me.” If you instead have a reputation as someone who is careful about managing their time and can quantify your busyness more concret
... See moreCal Newport • Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout
It is much less painful to offer an immediate, polite ‘no thank you’ than to agree to do something and then later regret it. [By the way, if you find it hard to say ‘no’ to nice people – as I do – try setting up automated ‘canned responses’ for your emails. Having a set text to click saves you having to actually type mean things to friendly people
... See moreAlastair Humphreys • The Doorstep Mile: Live More Adventurously Every Day
We agree to many requests not because we want to do them, but because we don't want to be seen as rude, arrogant, or unhelpful. Often, you have to consider saying no to someone you will interact with again in the future—your co-worker, your spouse, your family and friends.
James Clear • The Ultimate Productivity Hack is Saying No
In turning down obligations, I also resist the urge to offer a consolation prize that ends up devouring almost as much of my schedule (e.g., “Sorry I can’t join your committee, but I’m happy to take a look at some of your proposals as they come together and offer my thoughts”). A clean break is best.