If it feels like work has gotten harder, it’s not just you. Work intensification is everywhere, writes Fast Company contributor Melissa Swift. Yet ironically, the key to making work more manageable isn’t figuring out how to pack more work into every minute: it’s figuring out how to set boundaries and  say no.

For people pleasers, this might feel like pulling teeth. But it’s important to reframe the problem. By saying no to extra work, or work that you think won’t make an impact, you’re actually saying yes to work that will make an impact. Say no to unrealistic deadlines, so you don’t burn out. Say no to work that interferes with your responsibilities, so you don’t find the overall quality of your work declining. Say no, so you can say yes to what really matters. —Shalene Gupta