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Why do I find it so hard to say no?
Thread poster: Olga Koepping
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 04:13
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Same here! Sep 11, 2014

Unfortunately I am in the list of translators who find it very hard to say no.

However, about a year ago I divided my customers in two lists: priority and normal. The priority list contains customers who send regular, interesting work with reasonable deadlines and always pay on time (although not necessarily the highest rates), and the normal list contains the rest (even some customers who pay very good rates but whose work is more cumbersome). My priority list contains those custom... See more
Unfortunately I am in the list of translators who find it very hard to say no.

However, about a year ago I divided my customers in two lists: priority and normal. The priority list contains customers who send regular, interesting work with reasonable deadlines and always pay on time (although not necessarily the highest rates), and the normal list contains the rest (even some customers who pay very good rates but whose work is more cumbersome). My priority list contains those customers to whom I never say no, while I allow myself to say no to the normal customers if time is short or I am too tired to confront a cumbersome job.

This approach has allowed me to reduce my stress levels a bit, especially because it lends this certain feeling of freedom, but I still sometimes accept work I clearly should not. ▲ Collapse
 
Patrick Weill
Patrick Weill  Identity Verified
Local time: 20:13
Spanish to English
+ ...
Just say no Sep 11, 2014

I agree with Preston Decker. Tell the client you are busy and then do something positive for yourself. NOBODY has your interests more at heart than you do, which means that if you don't have your own interests at heat then nobody does.

Best of luck,
 
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Why do I find it so hard to say no?







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