The NO Button Cure For Dental Burnout

Remember Dr. Evil in Austin Powers, sitting in his swivel chair with his pinky raised, casually dropping his signature line: "How about no?" He had it figured out. No justification. No over- explaining. Just a clean, unapologetic no.

Meanwhile, you’re drowning in yeses:

• Yes to the last-minute emergency add-on
• Yes to covering another shift
• Yes to the CE course you don’t need
• Yes to everything except the one thing that actually matters—your sanity.

Here’s the truth: Every time you say yes to something that doesn’t serve you, you’re saying no to something that does. Your family. Your health. Your actual priorities. You can’t say yes to what matters if you’re already buried under a pile of yeses you never wanted to give. So say NO instead.

Hit the NO Button and Take Back Your Time

Think of it like this: You have a big red button on your desk. Every time someone asks for something that drains you, steals your time, or doesn’t align with your priorities—you hit that button.

NO. Not “maybe later.” Not “let me think about it.” Just no.

The practice doesn’t fall apart when you say no. Your team doesn’t hate you. The world keeps spinning. What actually happens? You get your time back.

The Polite Way to Say No: “Love To. Can’t.”

If you’re worried about sounding like a jerk, here’s your new favorite phrase: "Love to. Can’t."

• "Can you cover this patient?" Love to. Can’t.
• "Want to join this committee?" Love to. Can’t.
• "Can you squeeze in one more?" Love to. Can’t.

It’s time to channel your inner Dr. Evil. Practice saying no. Get comfortable with it. Because the cure for burnout isn’t working harder—it’s protecting your priorities by saying no to everything else.

How about no? Sounds pretty good, actually!