Let us be honest. Even though we all love having guests, especially when they are old friends who want to catch up. But, sometimes, it is not possible to entertain them well. It may be because of wanting to spend some good leisure time with the family or being busy with work. Whatever it is, we face such situations regularly. We receive calls from potential guests and even though we want to say ‘No’, we are not able to.

This forwards to a serious and awkward situation at times. You are not happy and nor is the guest, who can often feel that they are not welcome. To avoid these things, or to take strong control of your time, you must know one thing. It is the power of ‘saying no’. Sometimes, it is better to deny than accept and regret later. If you welcome a guest half-heartedly, you are doing no one good. It may even spoil your relation with the person.

Hence, here are few suggestions or tips on the ways to say no to house guests:

Tips:

• Tell them why:

If you have a genuine reason, and the guest is a good friend, this works. Call them and let them know by talking to them about your engagement. Let them know why you might not be able to host them. You do not have to say no, but give them a reason for non-availability. Probability is, that most of the time, it will work.

• Ask them to come later:

If they still seem to be adamant about their desire to come, do this. Apart from telling them about your reasons for non-availability, ask them to come later. You can even suggest them a further date or request one from them. This way, you are not compromising on your work or family time and can also keep the other person happy.

• Sometimes lying is not bad:

Remember, if you come across guests who do not want to listen to a no at any cost, you should lie. Sometimes lying for your sake is not wrong. You have the right to control your time and decide what to do. If someone else is not respecting that, you should lie. You can make an excuse about a false engagement or say you are not at home.

• Being polite and honest:

If nothing works, there is always this option. Leave your worries and call them straight away. You should talk to them well and tell them in a clear tone that you do not want them to come. Mention that you want some time to yourself or to spend with your family/work.

So, do not think much about what they would think of you. Keep it in your mind that you have a private life of your own. You indeed have the right to be self-engaged or give priority to your family. Not always one must invite guests. If you are polite and balanced, they would indeed not feel bad. As far as, disrespect is in question, you should remind them that you have only asked them to come later. Most of the time, they will understand. We all work hard and like to spend some time with our family or ourselves. There is nothing wrong with that.