When and How to Say No

“No” is a complete sentence—

But here’s when to say it and how:

Most people aren’t drowning because they’re lazy.

They’re drowning because they’re too helpful.

Saying yes feels like the right thing—
until your calendar’s full and
your focus is gone.

Top performers don’t say yes to everything.
They say yes to the right things.

Start with the Impact-Effort Matrix by
Bjørn Andersen, Tom Fagerhaug, and Marti Beltz:

🟢 Quick Wins
Easy + effective? Do them now.

🟡 Big Goals
Harder, but worth it. Prioritize next.

🔵 Small Tasks
Schedule, delegate, or delay.

🔴 Low Reward
High effort + low return = say no.

You can’t do meaningful work if your time is
buried under meaningless tasks.

Saying yes to everything
is saying no to your real priorities.

So here’s your challenge:

Say no once this week. Just once.

Then watch what it protects:
Your energy. Your goals. Your peace of mind.