It helps to have a reason for saying no. Your reason validates your inability and/or unwillingness to lend a hand. For example, consider the following two responses to a request for help… “I don’t have time to help you.” “I don’t have time to help you because I’m working on a crucial report that’s due in two hours.” The first response prompts the requestor to wonder whether your refusal to help is a personal rejection. That can lead to a confrontation, which helps neither party.
