The Ultimate Productivity Hack is Saying No

~~Table Of Content(toc)~~

1. Intro

There are many productivity hacks out there, and some of them are proven to be more effective than others.

The ultimate productivity hack is saying no.

When you say no, you make yourself stronger as a person, as a team member, as an employee and as a leader. You also get to be happier with your life and brighter with your outlook.

2. The Productivity Hack

The ability to say no is one of the most powerful things you can do to improve your productivity.

Just like with anything, the single most powerful tool you can use is practice – so it’s key that you get used to saying no.

When asked what his secret for being productive he replied, “I say no. I don’t do stuff unless it’s absolutely critical.”

The best way to get used to saying no is by actually doing it.

3. The Cost of Procrastination

Often, when we get to the next step down the path of product development, we will be faced with a decision. Either we will have to say “no” or we will have to say “yes”.

Someone once said that you are only as good as your last client relationship, but few people know that by saying no you might actually be making a better first impression on someone who is new in town. This is not about being unprofessional; it is about being more valuable and respected in the eyes of your clients.

We should always strive for our customers to have a positive experience with us; but more than that, we need to take pride in knowing that they are happy with our products and services.

4. Say No to Increase Your Productivity

I’m looking for something to say this to, so I’ll include a quote that I think deserves its own post: “Say no to increase your productivity.”

In the next few weeks I will be publishing articles on ProductivityHacks , and one of them will be about the power of saying no. In the meantime, this quote is a good reminder that saying no is not a bad thing — it can actually be a very productive thing.

Long ago, before my first book came out, I was asked by an editor if my book would have three pages on sayings like “Say No to Increase Your Productivity”. The reason was that there were many people who wanted to do precisely that. It was easier for me to write about saying no than about increasing my productivity (or anything else for that matter) — and because of this, my publisher had decided against including it in the book. He told me that he knew people who had spent lots of time doing exactly what I was thinking about saying no to, but had never got anywhere.

I told him that if he wanted this advice in the book, he would have to rewrite the whole thing (which is something editors probably don’t want). But since I loved what I had written about sayings like Say No To Increase Your Productivity , and since nothing else seemed right, we agreed on one little tweak — and here it is: Say No To Increase Your Productivity .

5. Be a Strategic Yes Man or Woman

Being a strategic yes man or woman is not just about saying no. It’s also about being a strategic team player, which is why it’s important to be a go-to person for your customers and co-workers when they need help.

For example, if someone asks you to do something outside of your core expertise, you should be able to help them solve the problem – even if it means taking on extra work. (Don’t feel bad about that, I have been doing this for years.)

So if you are asked to do something outside of your core expertise, don’t hesitate to say “no.” If someone is asking you to do something outside of your area of expertise that is likely not a good fit for you, don’t hesitate to say “no.” But be sure that you aren’t doing more work than necessary because you are saying no. And remember: if there is an expectation of reciprocity (like being asked again), then make sure that there really isn’t anything else you can do here (for example: make the time in your schedule). You should also take note of what other people are doing in the field and make sure they aren’t asking other people with similar skills to do the same thing as yours.

6. Conclusion

I hope that this post helped you to decide on a product. I also hope it helped you think about the value proposition and how to communicate it in the context of a product. I know from experience that if you don’t go into how you build your product, how do you market your product, or what does your actual value proposition mean for customers, then you are going to make mistakes.

If you have any questions about what I’ve said here, feel free to drop me an email. If I decide that your question is worth replying to (and I hope I will), then my reply will be posted here with a link back to this post.