Just Say No
By Sarah Di Troia
(Reading time: Less than 3 minutes)
I didn’t realize I was running on fumes.
2021 was a craptastic year for too many reasons to enumerate; I just kept putting one foot in front of the other.
Until, that is, I stopped moving. I took a full two weeks off at the end of the year. That’s when I felt the wave of exhaustion — mentally, physically, spiritually.
I didn’t have the energy to do much celebrating. I just wanted to sit by the fire and be with my husband, my two teenagers, my dog, and a book (not necessarily in that order).
I wanted to be still, and so that’s what I did.
If You’re Doing Too Much, Start Making Tough Choices
One of the challenges of working in the social sector is that there is no end of opportunity… because there is no end of need for justice, beauty, nature, equity, and basic human wants, from food to housing, and more.
None of us gets into this line of work because we want to say no to people. We want to say yes.
So, we tend to take on too much. But the reality is that in order to create sustainable organizations (and individuals), we need to narrow our focus and make choices. Tough choices.
What Could You Be Doing Instead?
Objects in motion tend to stay in motion.
Likewise, programs that are up and running have their own inertia — even if they no longer have the highest effect across the spectrum of whatever we are trying to accomplish:
Maybe there is a funder tied to a program, making it easy to keep going.
Maybe we are serving the founder’s belief about what needs to happen, even though we know from our own experience and data that it is no longer true.
Maybe there is staff associated with a program that serves many people but has little impact.
Whatever the specifics, our time, attention, and energy are limited. Working on things that are not the best use of these scarce resources depletes our organizations and prevents us from pursuing higher impact opportunities, individually and organizationally.
Saying “No” Is Hard
It’s easier to keep things as they are.
Easier, but not better. Outdated legacy programs keep us stretched thin — it’s exhausting trying to keep all the balls in the air.
That’s why saying no is an act of radical sustainability.
When we prioritize based on where we can have the most impact and what takes greatest advantage of our unique strengths, experiences, and assets, we lead with true purpose.
Plus, reducing the scope of our commitments combats burnout — for you, your team, and your organization.
The truth is, we are programmed to stay in motion. Often, it’s not until we stop that we can see where our efforts can lead to the most significant results.
For 2022, consider making “No” your #1 resolution!