You have a right to say you don’t have enough time… but here’s the catch. It’s not about making excuses; it’s about owning your priorities and communicating them with integrity. This simple shift in mindset is a game-changer for personal and professional boundaries.
Share Image Quote:Table of Contents
Meaning
At its core, this quote is about the fundamental right to set boundaries based on your genuine capacity, not guilt or obligation.
Explanation
Let me tell you, this is one of those concepts that seems obvious until you actually try to live it. We all get stuck in this trap, right? Someone asks for a “quick favor” or to join a new project, and our instinct is to say yes. We feel guilty saying no. So we scramble for excuses, we over-explain, we say we’re “too busy.”
What this quote reframes is that you don’t need an elaborate excuse. If your plate is genuinely full—and I mean genuinely full, not just inconveniently so—then “I don’t have the bandwidth for that right now” is a complete sentence. It’s not rude. It’s respectful—to them, and crucially, to yourself and your existing commitments. It’s about protecting your time so you can deliver quality on the things you’ve already said yes to.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Relationship (329) |
| Topics | assertiveness (10), boundaries (30), honesty (27) |
| Literary Style | direct (414), practical (126) |
| Emotion / Mood | determined (116), respectful (19) |
| Overall Quote Score | 70 (55) |
Origin & Factcheck
This wisdom comes straight from the Dale Carnegie Training system, specifically their 2009 book, The 5 Essential People Skills. It’s a modern application of Carnegie’s timeless principles. You sometimes see similar sentiments floating around misattributed to other productivity gurus, but this particular phrasing is firmly in the Carnegie wheelhouse, focusing on assertive communication.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Dale Carnegie (408) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | The 5 Essential People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts (71) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Dale Carnegie(1888), an American writer received worldwide recognition for his influential books on relationship, leadership, and public speaking. His books and courses focus on human relations, and self confidence as the foundation for success. Among his timeless classics, the Dale Carnegie book list includes How to Win Friends and Influence People is the most influential which inspires millions even today for professional growth.
Official Website |Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube |
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | You have a right to say you don’t have enough time for something, if in fact you really don’t have enough time |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2008 ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9781416595489 (ISBN-13), 1416595487 (ISBN-10) Last edition. Number of pages: Common reprints ~256 pages |
| Where is it? | Section: Assertiveness and Boundaries, Approximate page from 2009 edition |