How to Stand Up For Yourself in the Work Place

In today’s workplace, many people have a hard time standing up for themselves. They take on projects to help a co-worker that they know they can’t handle, work extra hours after the regular work day to help out a boss. Even though they may have an important engagement elsewhere, they may skip their lunches in order to play catch up, all because they were too busy helping out another co-worker to get their own work done.

While their hearts might be in the right place, helping other people at the expense of your own work is not a good idea. It’s far better to learn how to stand up for yourself and use the all-important word “No.” For many people, saying “No” is harder than saying “Yes,” but what they don’t realize is how much they can cripple their own chances of success by doing so.

A simple rule to live by in life and in the workplace is to be polite, courteous, but never let someone push you around. Being nice is one thing, being a pushover is another. Pushover’s get taken advantage of and used. In order to learn how to stand up for yourself, you should try and make it a routine, something you do automatically without thought. This can be accomplished by practicing in your day-to-day life. Here are a few things that will help you stand up for yourself:

• Never make excuses. There is nothing wrong with saying the word “No.” Remember it is well within your rights as a human being to say “No.” By making excuses while saying “No,” you weaken your stance and are forced to continually cover up for your excuses.
• Be courteous but direct. You don’t have to be rude in order to stand up for yourself. By looking someone in the eye and telling them directly your stance on the situation, you can effectively stand up for yourself without resorting to being rude.
• It’s okay to ask for some time to think things over. If you’re not sure you have the time or can handle the favor they are asking, tell them you have to think about it. Take that time to honestly reflect on your situation and come up with the best response.
• Practice standing up for yourself in your day-to-day life away from work. For instance, if a store clerk asks to take down your address and telephone number for their records, look them in the eye and say “No.” Like everything, the more you stand up for yourself, the easier it becomes.

While helping out and being generous are two very good traits, allowing yourself to be taken advantage of is not. You are just as important as everyone else, and there are times when you must stand up for yourself. Failing to do so, can cripple your chances of a promotion and can hinder you for doing your own work.

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