The Art Of Saying NO: How To Stand Your Ground, Reclaim Your Time And Energy, And Refuse To Be Taken For Granted (Without Feeling Guilty!) (The Art Of Living Well Book 1)

by Damon Zahariades

First, when responding to your boss, be forthright about your current workload and resulting lack of availability. Explain that you wouldn’t be able to do a good job on the new project given everything else that’s on your plate. If you’re already working under pending deadlines, mention them. Second, ask questions regarding the new project. When is it due? What does it involve? What skills are required? Will you need to coordinate activities among a group of participants? Third, ask your boss to reprioritize your workload. Suggest postponing an existing project that’s on your plate so you can devote your time and attention to the new project. Fourth, if none of your current projects and tasks can be rescheduled, ask whether the new project can be postponed. For example, you might tell your boss that you’ll have more bandwidth in five days, after you’ve completed your current deliverables.