{photo collage by favspotting}
Lately, I've been saying yes to every little work-related opportunity that comes my way. And by lately, I mean the past two years since I've been self-employed. :) "Can you write this for me?" Yes! "Can you design this for me?" Sure! "Can you be part of this for me?" Of course!
This is partially motivated by money: as a freelancer, it's hard to say no to an opportunity that will bring in some income when you don't know when another one may come, especially in this poor economy. And, as a smart marketer, it's hard to say no to an opportunity that can bring traffic or exposure and, in turn, potential income down the line.
But I think a majority of my "yes syndrome" comes from an emotional place: a place that honestly feels guilty if I say no to someone, a place that wants to prove to myself that I can handle whatever comes my way, a place that feels woeful at the thought of disappointing anyone, anytime, ever. Yes, it's that dramatic (in my mind.)
And then there are those times when all my yeses collide into a mass of deadlines that all need to get done at the same time. That's when I start to worry that my work won't be at it's best or that I really won't get everything done or that (shudder) it appears I cannot handle whatever comes my way.
That's when I realize, too many yeses can make that pot of opportunity boil over into a spilled mess.
When saying yes to something means having extra grocery money, but losing a bit of your sanity in the process, than perhaps a friendly, but firm, no is the way to go.
I say no all the time in my personal life, but sadly it's usually something like, "No, I can't go have fun right now because I'm too busy working." So how can I find the balance between saying no to some work opportunities while still having enough money to pay rent and potentially say yes to some fun activities every once in awhile?
I'm afraid I don't have the answer to any of this, just sort of throwing it out there as a topic of discussion.
How about you? Do you ever find yourself taking on too much at once because you just couldn't say no? How do you negotiate saying no to something that can bring in income, or provide you valuable exposure? Ever feel guilty in saying no to a project or work opportunity?
