By | Filiz Behaettin | addicted2success.com
Have you ever said yes to a work decision you didn’t necessarily agree with or felt obligated to say yes? Chances are your answer to that question is most likely a ‘yes.’ Don’t worry; you are not alone. The fear of saying ‘no’ in the workplace and feelings of guilt associated with it is still widespread, even in today’s day and age.
More often than not, we go along with workplace decisions, particularly decisions made by our senior managers, even if it makes us unhappy. There are several reasons for this, but the common one is the fear that saying no will result in us losing future opportunities for a promotion or pay rise and the feelings of guilt associated with this. Whether these are learned behaviors from society or not, one thing is for sure; we have not fully understood the art of decision-making or saying no correctly.
After spending the last decade in a high-pressure work environment, I have seen the long-term impacts on individuals who continually say yes. These include feelings of burnout, depression, or anxiety which slowly begin to intervene with the way an individual goes about their daily life. To release you from the pressures of saying ‘yes’ all the time, use this easy four-step process below and regain control of your work life!
1. Personal interest
When approached by an employer, whether it is to take on a higher role with the same pay or complete a task that is not within your job description, always ask yourself: Does what they’re asking me to do fit within my lifestyle or career plan?
