How to Respectfully Turn Down a Favor
As much as we love helping out others, certain favors turn out to be too much.
Instead of feeling guilty about saying no to a friend, follow these easy tips for how to respectfully turn down a favor.
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Don't Beat Around the Bush
It's human nature to avoid conflict and try to please. You can't let those urges take control and cause you to avoid confronting a situation. If a friend asks you for a favor you simply can't help with, grab the bull by the horns. Don't postpone telling them about your availability and don't immediately say yes when what you truly feel like is saying no. Seize the moment when you're asked, and it will make things way easier down the line.
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Give Their Request the Importance it Deserves
Just because you don't feel like doing a favor doesn't mean that the person requesting it is wrong to ask. Sometimes situations arise where all your pal really needs is a hand. When being asked about a favor you don't want to do, acknowledge it and let your friend know why you understand it's important to them. This will make you come off connected and understanding when you ultimately say no.
Don't Offer Up a Million Reasons
The more nervous we are about a conversation, the more we tend to run over it in our heads. These thoughts produce chatter, and next thing you know, you have a laundry list of reasons why you shouldn't be doing that favor your friend asked you for. When you find yourself in this pattern, stop, take a moment to breathe and to quiet the chatter in your head. Instead of offering up every single reason why it's a good idea to turn the favor down, calmly and clearly deliver the one main reason why you can't commit.
You don't need to go into details, just a main theme will work. For example, if it's time that's making you turn to this decision, don't list out your whole detailed schedule. Simply saying, "I would love to help, but I'm really pressed for time this week," will work wonders.
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Now that you have that favor fiasco resolved, try THESE tips for boosting your confidence levels!