3 Ways You Can Say No This School Year
No is a powerful and often undervalued word in the teaching world.
And teachers are getting burnt out because of it.
NO helps to clean up the clutter of tasks on our to-do lists so that we can focus on what’s most important each day.
NO helps give us purpose by clarifying our school year priorities.
NO makes our YES much more powerful because, when we do decide to say yes, people know we really mean it.
However, not all no’s look the same.
Here are 3 ways you can practice saying no this school year, 2 quotes about this topic, and 1 question for you to consider this week.
3 Ways You Can Say No
I.
Say no to all of it. This involves setting a black-and-white boundary and is what we most commonly think of when it comes to saying “no”. Sometimes it is absolutely necessary for our mental wellbeing to clearly deny certain requests or interactions with certain people. In other words, you flat out cut that thing that is stressing you out of the picture. Examples of this kind of boundary are: Declining a request to take on mentoring another teacher; Refusing to meet with anyone in your school community that makes you feel physically or mentally unsafe; Never scheduling a meeting during your lunch break.
II.
Say no to parts of it. Sometimes we either can’t or don’t want to fully cut out a person, thing, or request. If that’s the case, one option is to cut down or limit your exposure to the stressor. Examples of this boundary are: Only interacting with an irritating coworker when you absolutely have to; Agreeing to only help out with aftercare two days as opposed to all five; Deciding to only work past 5 during specific times, such as when grades are due.
III.
Set conditions - And if they aren’t met, say no. If you are in a situation where you cannot flat out say no to all or part of what is stressing you, set conditions to help you feel safe (in other words, work to make a compromise). Examples of this type of boundary are: Only meeting with an aggressive parent if you have someone else from staff with you and if the parent agrees to be calm and respectful; Only hosting an after school club if you are being fairly compensated; Only accepting late work if the student provides a doctor’s note.
2 Quotes from Others
I.
“It’s only by saying no that you can focus on the things that are really important.” - Steve Jobs
II.
“Don’t say maybe if you want to say no.” - Paulo Coelho
1 Question For You
What is one thing you are planning to say no to, or setting limits or conditions with, this school year?
Make sure to share this week’s 3-2-1 with a teacher you care about :)
Until next week,
Emily Hemmingson
Health Coach for Teachers
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