Saying no in academia: A guide to protecting your time and focus

Academia thrives on a spirit of collaboration and contribution. We’re constantly invited to participate in presentations, grant proposals, committees, service activities, and so on. While saying yes fosters connection and advancement, the incessant pressure to contribute can quickly transform your passion into an overwhelming burden. We need to practice saying no in academia as a way to focus our time and energy on what matters most.

The reflex to automatically say yes can leave you over-committed and overwhelmed, and the volume of incoming requests makes thoughtful consideration difficult. Our impulse is to agree in the moment, worried to cause offence or miss out. But deferring the decision relieves that pressure, buying you time to evaluate if a new commitment aligns with your priorities and capacity.

A “Not Yet” list

Before you reflexively say yes, here’s an an alternative approach: create a ‘Not Yet’ list. A ‘Not Yet’ list isn’t just another to-do list – it’s a strategic tool for managing opportunities without shutting doors. Instead of forcing yourself into a binary yes/no decision, this list creates a third option: “not right now, but maybe later.”

  1. Create a dedicated space (digital or physical) for capturing interesting opportunities that don’t fit your current capacity or priorities
  2. When an invitation arrives, evaluate it against your current commitments and energy levels
  3. If it’s interesting but not feasible now, add it to your ‘Not Yet’ list with a brief note about why it caught your attention
  4. Schedule quarterly reviews of your list to reassess these opportunities with fresh eyes

The magic of the ‘Not Yet’ list lies in how it reframes declining from a permanent “no” to a temporary “not at this moment.” This subtle shift helps ease the psychological burden of turning down potentially valuable opportunities while keeping your current workload manageable.

For example, instead of reluctantly agreeing to join a promising research project when you’re already stretched thin, add it to your ‘Not Yet’ list. During your next review, you might find your schedule has opened up, or you might realise that the opportunity no longer aligns with your evolved priorities.

By acknowledging your current workload and politely declining, you safeguard your well-being, focus, and ultimately, your productivity. With practice, saying no (or, not yet) gets easier and leaves you time for what matters most.

Remember, saying no in academia doesn’t negate your expertise or commitment to the field; it empowers you to contribute at your best, on your terms.


Feeling overwhelmed by opportunities? Discover how to build effective boundaries while advancing your career in the Head Space Time Management course.


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