Volunteering can be rewarding in many ways.  We all want to help but sometimes we get so bogged down with helping others that we leave no time for ourselves.  So, is there an art to saying no?  That I don’t know, but here is a trick I have learned.  When asked to help/host/organize/do a lot of work for no pay, don’t give an immediate answer.  Let the person or organization know that you are interested but you need to check your schedule to make sure you can give it your all.  Even if it is something you would really like to be a part of, take some time to think it through.  If you really want to help (you weren’t just feeling guilty and put on the spot), and you have the time, your answer will still be yes in the morning.  However, you may remember the other 3 volunteering obligations you committed yourself to once you get home and realize you really don’t have time this month to help anyone else.   That being said, people generally find time for things that are important to them.  So, if you feel like you can’t say no, remember that you are important too!