No thanks, I'm booked.

Extra projects at work, school committee meetings, church fundraisers, home repairs—how much longer are you going to keep this up? If you think you’re making everyone happy, you’re wrong. You’re spread so thin, your performance is, well, a bit lacking. (In more ways than one.)

Once in a while, just say no. Don’t worry about letting people down—they’ll actually respect you more. It’s much worse to commit and then do a half-baked job or not come through at the last minute.

Saying no isn’t easy, especially on the spot. A good trick is to tell people you’ll have to get back to them after you think it over. Then take some time to make the best decision for you.

If the answer is no, so be it. Say it with pride: NO-O-O!