22-25 April 2026
SQLBits 2024

Saying no is OK

In the high-demand IT field, professionals often struggle with overcommitment and work-life balance. This presentation, "Saying No is OK," offers practical insights and strategies for IT professionals to assertively manage their workload and protect their well-being. Learn the art of saying no, how to prioritize, and maintain professionalism while achieving a healthier work-life balance. Join us for a transformative session that will empower you to succeed while setting necessary boundaries.
In the fast-paced and dynamic world of information technology, professionals often find themselves juggling numerous tasks, projects, and expectations. The common refrain is to always say "yes" to opportunities and requests, but this often leads to overwork, stress, and a diminished work-life balance. It's time to challenge this paradigm and recognize that "Saying No is OK."

This presentation explores the vital concept of setting boundaries in the IT industry. By providing real-world insights and practical strategies, it empowers IT professionals to assertively manage their workload, protect their well-being, and achieve greater success in their careers. The discussion will delve into the art of saying no, helping attendees to understand the significance of personal and professional priorities, and offering guidance on navigating work requests while maintaining professionalism. Through this engaging session, attendees will learn how to strike a balance between their work and personal lives, ultimately contributing to a more fulfilled and sustainable IT career.

Join me for an eye-opening journey that will change the way you approach your work in IT. Discover that Saying No is not just acceptable—it's a powerful tool for personal and professional growth.

Speakers

Sander Stad

sqlstad.nl

Sander Stad's previous sessions

Streamlining Power BI with PowerShell
Power BI is a vital tool for data analytics, but managing workspaces, access, and data sets manually can be time-consuming and error-prone. This session explores how PowerShell automation simplifies and streamlines these tasks.
 
Saying no is OK
In the high-demand IT field, professionals often struggle with overcommitment and work-life balance. This presentation, "Saying No is OK," offers practical insights and strategies for IT professionals to assertively manage their workload and protect their well-being. Learn the art of saying no, how to prioritize, and maintain professionalism while achieving a healthier work-life balance. Join us for a transformative session that will empower you to succeed while setting necessary boundaries.
 
Unveiling the magic of CI/CD for SQL Server using GitHub Actions
In this expert session we unveil the magic of CI/CD for SQL Server updates using GitHub Actions.
 
Github and Azure DevOps Duet - SQLBits edition
A tale about how a development team and an operations team must bond together and figure out how to use GitHub and Azure DevOps together for Data Platform deployments.
 
Battle tested project planning with Azure Devops boards
Azure boards within Azure DevOps give you the capability to organise your project and analyse the it’s progress. Do you want your manager to stop bugging you about your project’s progress, come to this session?
 
Start to See With tSQLt
Unit testing with databases is fairly new and is not yet embraced within database development. We'll learn how we can implement setup a database project, implement basic unit testing with tSQLt
 
Solving the dev DB problem with Docker and dbaclone
Shared dev databases have a disastrous effect on quality and throughput. However, moving to self-service dev/test databases is hard due to storage and data privacy concerns. The solution? Docker and dbaclone.