Master the art of saying no

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Feeling stressed by the demands of daily life?

If you have too much on your plate or are consumed by a busy schedule, you may be saying yes too much.

It’s time to start saying no, and then sticking to it.

Discover tips and tricks for getting back to a saner schedule—no guilt, no hard feelings. When it comes to taming stress, you have more power than you think.

Focus on what matters. Before you commit, consider how the request fits (or not) with your priorities.

Weigh the yes-to-stress ratio. Volunteering a batch of cookies is quick versus heading up a fundraising committee for months.

Nix the guilt. It’s never a good reason to say yes. You’ll likely end up feeling resentful and more stressed.

• Cut to the chase. Briefly explain why you’re saying no. But there’s no need to elaborate or make up excuses.

• Hit replay if you need to. You may need to refuse the request a few times before the other person accepts it.

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/connected-care/ master-the-art-of-saying-no

Do I find certain things are making me feel stressed? For example, if checking email before bed or immediately upon waking generates stress, think about how to change that part of your routine to maintain calm, Dr. Debar says.

• What kind of exercise am I getting? If the answer isn’t much, try to find ways to incorporate more movement into your day, she says.

“By helping your gut, that might be enough for you, or helping your sleep, that might be enough for you,” Dr. Debar says. “It’s those simple foundational elements that can have huge impact. Be intentional about certain things.” Pulling these levers of health ourselves can feel empowering, she says.

“It’s not, ‘A doctor said I had to lose weight and sleep and reduce my stress.’ When you understand the foundations of health, it then doesn’t become about you having low self-control, or procrastinating, or not being disciplined,” Dr. Debar says. “Instead, how do we take what you have in your life and embed these positive practices in it?”

Committee Chair Alice Howard

Committee Vice Chair York Glover

Council Chairman Joe Passiment

Council Vice Chair Larry McElynn

Councilman Gerald Dawson

Councilwoman Tab Tabernik

Next Meeting:

Monday, June 26 – Beaufort County Council 5pm

Council Chambers, 100 Ribaut Road, Beaufort SC